Add to: Recipe Box | Grocery List | Meal PlannerRecipe submitted by
sevasta0@wcc.comFlexible Thai SoupIngredients (use vegan versions): 1 shallot, chopped
2 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
a few drops of chili sauce to taste
2 tablespoon soy sauce (the original called for Thai fish sauce)
flexible part - 1 cup fresh spinach leaves, or 1 cup sugar snap or snow peas, or 1 cup water chestnuts, or 1 cup black mushroom
Directions:Serves 2 to 4.
Saute shallot, garlic and ginger in a small amount of vegetable oil. Add coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, Turn down to simmer. Add cilantro, lemon juice, chili sauce, fish sauce (or alternative ) and vegetables. Simmer until spinach is wilted and veggies are tender but not limp, approximately 5 minutes. Serve with rice.
for those of us who must watch fats, has anyone discovered a low (lower?) fat alternative to cocoanut milk in Thai cooking?
Archived comment by: ann
Just joined - don't have my password yet! Email -
sunshine@isd.net Answer to Ann re low-fat coconut milk. I use Port Arthur Lite Coconut milk @ 3 g total fat. 65% less fat than regular coconut milk w/no vegan sugar added. Product of Sri Lanka. Hope this helps!
Archived comment by: linda
Note on Port Arthur brand...Any idea where to get it in S.F. ?
Archived comment by: david
This turned out to be a delicious soup with a strong lemon flavour. I added all sorts of yummy things like fungus strips, bamboo shoots, asparagus and tofu.
Archived comment by: renae
This is a great recipe for a cold day. I tried snow peas, dried shitake mushrooms, and 1 1/2T fire oil... AWESOME!!
Archived comment by: jess7877
Just a quick comment for Ann about low-fat coconut milk substitutes. I read on another website once that you can use low fat milk (I'm sure that rice milk would be fabulous!) with a wee splash of coconut extract added to it. I've never tried it, but I imagine it would give the desired flavour.
Archived comment by: witchiepoo33
when they say 1 can coconut milk, how many ounces is that? My can is 5.5 fl oz which is smaller than normal i guess.
Archived comment by: boogirl565
This soup turned out deliciously. I used a 13.5oz can of the light coconut milk, and that worked just fine. I didn't have a shallot, so I used about a tablespoon of minced white onion. For the vegetable broth, I made it from a jarred vegetable base and water. I added fresh spinach and button mushrooms. The lemon gave the soup a great kick. If you're not a big fan of lemon, I might use a little less. Next time, I think I'm going to try lime and see how that tastes. This soup tastes pretty authentic to me considering its lack of difficult-to-find Thai ingredients. Theres nothing here you can't find at your regular grocery store--that's a big plus in my book. If you like Thai food, check this one out!
Archived comment by: willwolf
We make this all the time now. Fresh basil, thin slices of ginger (cooked for a while), and lemongrass are also nice additions. Pair it with Pad Thai!
Archived comment by: creaturenutt
It looked wonderful, at it is. Thanks. Well be having this on occasion. Absolutely simple and tasty!
Archived comment by: bobjuan
ann- i don't know of a fat-free alternative, but if you look around, you can find lite coconut milk. dunno if that's still got too much fat. i use it, though. :]
Archived comment by: kerosene
Re: light alternative to coconut milk. I actually use a beverage called coconut water made by Grace Foods (gracefoods.com)in any recipes calling for coconut milk. It doesn't give the same creamy texture & has some sugar in it, but you get the flavour w/o all that saturated fat. Theres also coconut powder available now, meant to be made into coconut milk. I haven't tried it & don't know if its any lower in fat, but have a friend that swears by it.
Archived comment by: soleilune
This is my favorite soup to make. When I make it I add 1/4 - 1/2 cup natural peanut butter and curry paste for a kick. This makes it very rich and filling.
Archived comment by: lolakey
Regarding the question of low-fat coconut milk, I use the coconut powder. It is not low fat, but you can control the amount that you use. The package directs you to add so much water to reconstitute it, and if you follow those directions, then it will still be the same amount of fat as regular coconut milk. But I find that if I add only a tablespoon or two directly into the broth in which vegetables or whatever are cooking, then it provides a lot of taste. My grocery store carries it in the Asian foods aisle, next to the canned coconut milk.
Archived comment by: kokua
Once again, simple and fabulous!! I've made this several times now, and its always a hit. This recipe is open to a good deal of variation. This time, I added canned straw mushrooms, frozen spinach, and a frozen blend of carrot, cauliflower, broccoli, edamame, green beans, and asparagus. I also added tofu. If you haven't tried this and you like Thai food, what are you waiting for??
Archived comment by: willwolf
this soup is sooo good. I like making it with lemon and lime juice, lite coconut milk (which can easily be diluted if you still think its too fatty. the soup will taste fine), fresh carrots slices, tofu squares, and fresh sugar snap peas. mmmmmm
Archived comment by: carrotsofyore
for a homemade coconut milk, just buy shredded coconut (the brand i have comes in a 3.5oz can - Bakers Angel Flake coconut sweetened, i got it for baking but you should be able to find an unsweetened brand), since its really dried coconut you probably won't need a lot. try about 1/2 to 1Tbsp. add about 1/2c to 1 cup of water and put in blender. strain through a very fine meshe'd strainer. voila! coconut milk. check the package to see how much is the lowest possible amount for fats, sugars, etc. you can make in batches and freeze in ice cubes. since you make it yourself, you dilute it to your tastes. just a suggestion. [the nutritional info on the Bakers is 2Tbsp = 70 calories, 6g total fat (5g sat fat), 6g total carb (5g sugar, 1g fiber),
