Thai Shrimp-Coconut Soup with Mango Cucumber Salad

By Dianne Godfrey.
 Date: Oct. 11th, 2019 - 1:00 PM

Ingredients

Mango Cucumber Salad

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 teaspoon packed brown sugar

½ teaspoon Asian chili sauce (Sriracha sauce)

⅛ teaspoon salt

2 medium mangoes, halved, seeded, peeled and chopped

1 cup seeded and sliced cucumber

Thai Shrimp-Coconut Soup

1 pound fresh or frozen medium shrimp in shells

3 ounces rice noodles

2 teaspoons canola oil

¼ cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh lemongrass

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon red curry paste

2¾ cups unsalted chicken stock, such as Kitchen Basics® brand

1¼ cups unsweetened light coconut milk

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (see Tip)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons lime juice

¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1 fresh serrano chile pepper, very thinly sliced (optional ) Because chile peppers contain volatile oils that can burn your skin and eyes, avoid direct contact with them as much as possible. When working with chile peppers, wear plastic or rubber gloves. If your bare hands do touch the peppers, wash your hands and nails well with soap and warm water.

 

Preparation

  1. Prepare salad: In a screw-top jar, combine rice vinegar, basil, canola oil, brown sugar, Asian chili sauce (or Sriracha) and salt. Cover and shake well. In a medium bowl, combine chopped mango and sliced cucumber. Drizzle with vinegar mixture. Set aside.
  2. Prepare soup: Thaw shrimp if frozen. Peel and devein shrimp. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Cook rice noodles according to package directions; set aside.
  3. In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and lemongrass; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until fragrant.
  4. Stir chicken stock, coconut milk, brown sugar and fish sauce into onion mixture. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp and mushrooms. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes more or until shrimp are opaque. Stir in lime juice.
  5. To serve, divide reserved rice noodles among six serving bowls. Ladle soup over rice noodles. If desired, garnish with cilantro and chile peppers. Serve with Mango Cucumber Salad.