This Thai version of carrot soup also includes the health benefits of ginger, garlic, and lemongrass. With its potent combination of vegetables, rice, and fresh Thai herbs and spices, this soup is an excellent remedy for a cold or flu. High in vitamins A and C, plus calcium, it is also extremely delicious, and makes an elegant soup to serve guests. Enjoy it as an appetizer, or add a crusty loaf of French bread on the side for the main course. A nice vegetarian Thai recipe that's also easy to make - ready in just 30 minutes!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- SERVES 4
- 1 small cooking onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1-2 thumb-size pieces galangal OR ginger
- 4 cups chicken broth OR vegetable broth if vegetarian
- 1 fresh red chilli, minced (omit if you prefer a milder soup) OR 1-2 tsp. chilli sauce
- 1/4 cup Thai jasmine rice (or any type of white or brown rice - note that brown will take longer to cook)
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- 1 + 1/2 tsp. cardamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 stalk lemongrass, finely sliced OR 2 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass
- 7 medium carrots, sliced (they can be thick slices, as the soup will be pureed later)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1-3 Tbsp. fish or vegetarian fish sauce (start with 1 and add more if needed, depending on how salty your broth is)
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- handful fresh coriander
- handful fresh basil
- juice of 1/2 lime
- oil for stir-frying
Preparation:
For more information on how to buy, prepare, and cook with lemongrass, see my: All About Lemongrass Guide.
- Pour 2 Tbsp. oil into the bottom of a large soup pot. Add onion, garlic, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and fresh chili (or chili sauce). Stir-fry until fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Add the broth and rice. Bring to a boil.
- Add the carrots plus the spices (cumin, cardamom, nutmeg). Reduce heat to medium, cover, and continue cooking for another 15 minutes, or until carrots and rice are soft (brown rice will take longer to cook, and will absorb more liquid, so you may need to add a little more broth).
- Add the coconut milk and stir. Puree the soup in batches in your blender. Return soup to the soup pot.
- Re-warm soup over medium heat. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice. Taste-test for salt, adding more fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce) instead of salt, as needed. (If your soup turns out too salty, add more lime juice.) Add more fresh chili or chili sauce if not spicy enough.
- Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with fresh coriander and basil. Enjoy!
