We’re nearing the end of soup season here, but I just had to get this one in before we break into summer recipes. Or at least, before we break into cold summer soup recipes and before I go ga ga for gazpacho (ugh, I’m so sorry). This is a warm and spicy soup for the soul. I first started making it a few months ago when my mom was in town visiting while I was sick. All I craved was soup, so we made tons of soups together. Well, cookies and soups, to be exact.
I’m not calling this Thai, because it’s in no way authentic, but there are some delicious Thai-like flavors going on here. It’s inspired by a few versions of Tom Yum (a brothy hot and sour soup) that I’ve been ordering lately at local Thai restaurants. The broth is simmered with ginger and lemongrass and spiced with red curry. The soup is filled with tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and lots of crispy bok choy. This same soup is also delicious as a red curry coconut soup. If you’re feeling like a more creamy soup, just add a bit of coconut milk. Some days I like my soup creamy, some days I like it brothy – this is a versatile soup, no matter your soup mood.
I like to serve this with baked tofu and jasmine rice (you could also use brown rice). Next time, I’m excited to try it with slurpy vermicelli noodles.
