Thai Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 ounces sugar snap peas, about 12
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, sliced very thin
- 1½ tbsp red curry paste (or more if you like it spicier like I do)
- 1¼ cup dried, red lentils
- 2 stalks lemongrass, lightly crushed
- peel from 1 lime, peeled in strips with a vegetable peeler
- 3 cups water, vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 can coconut milk (plus extra for garnish, optional)
- 4–5 tbsp lime juice
- 2½ tbsp soy sauce
- cilantro, coursely chopped, for garnish (optional)
- chili oil or hot sauce for garnish (optional)don’t skip it!
- 4 lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small pot of boiling, salted water, blanch snap peas for 30-40 seconds. Drain and rinse under cold water. Slice into thin strips on the diagonal. Set aside.
- In a large pot, heat oil on medium. Add onions and saute’ for 6-7 minutes to soften and develop sweetness. Add the red curry paste and saute’ for 1 minute. Add the lemongrass, lime peel and lentils. Stir to coat everything well.
Add water or stock and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to a bare simmer and cover pot. - Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring soup once or twice. Lentils should be completely soft (soup may look a little thick at this point).
- Remove lemongrass and lime peels.
Blend soup in a blender or with an immersion blender until completely smooth. - Put soup back into pot. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and soy sauce. The soup is too thick at this time at a little extra stock or water.
Bring back to a boil for 1 minute and remove from heat.
Taste and adjust soy sauce, salt or lime juice, if needed. - Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with sugar snap peas, cilantro, drizzles of chili oil. Serve with extra lime wedges on the side.