Another great recipe from the late and lamented Gourmet magazine, January 2004. This “shrimp with a kick” soup has brightened many a dreary winter day at our house. It’s especially appreciated whenever someone is feeling poorly since it clears your head in a good way. You can use chicken instead of shrimp, too. Delicious either way!
Here’s a photo of the original Gourmet recipe, kept for the last 13 years in my “Tried and Enjoyed Recipes Cut Out from Gourmet and Other Places” notebook. The notebook’s title may be unwieldy, but it’s one of my favorite sources of delicious recipes.
8 cups vegetable or shrimp or chicken stock (64 fl oz)
4 cups water
1 tablespoon Thai green curry paste
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (2-inch) piece peeled fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
2 cups loosely packed whole fresh cilantro leaves plus 1/2 cup chopped (from 2 large bunches)
1 cup jasmine rice
3/4 lb medium shrimp in shell (31 to 35 per lb), peeled and deveined OR 3/4 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced crosswise, then slices cut lengthwise into thin strips
1 (13- to 14-oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred well
1/4 lb snow peas, trimmed and cut diagonally into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Accompaniment: lime wedges
Combine stock, water, curry paste, garlic, ginger, coriander seeds, and whole cilantro leaves in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then simmer, uncovered, until ginger is softened, about 15 minutes. Pour through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot and discard solids. Stir rice into soup and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes.
Add shrimp or chicken and poach at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, snow peas, and fish sauce and simmer, uncovered, until peas are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice, salt, and chopped cilantro.