Straight from the Earth

THAI COCONUT SOUP

This soup is easy to make and bursting with flavor. Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and jalapeño endow the stock with bold spices, and the coconut milk and lime juice added at the end transform this soup into a gentle cascade of sweetness, spice, and everything else nice. My family likes it best with a heaping tablespoon of cooked brown rice stirred in. Serve this alongside our Thai Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce (page 99) to indulge in a delicious Thai meal without leaving the comfort of your home. —MAREA

Serves 4

1 stalk lemongrass

1 tbsp peeled minced fresh ginger

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp minced jalapeño, with or without seeds

¹/₄ tsp red pepper flakes, plus extra as needed

2 tbsp peanut or canola oil

1 small red bell pepper, small dice

5 cups/1.2 L Easy Vegetable Stock (page 76) or low-sodium vegetable broth

2¹/₂ cups/100 g thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

2 heads baby bok choy, thinly sliced

1 cup/160 g diced silken tofu

³/₄ cup/180 ml coconut milk

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

1 tsp light brown sugar

Salt

¹/₄ cup/10 g packed chopped fresh cilantro

¹/₄ cup/10 g packed chopped fresh basil

Cut the stem and leaf ends off the lemongrass and discard several layers of tough outer leaves. Slice the soft center of the stalk into ¹/₄-in/6-mm pieces. Put them in a small food processor and add the ginger, garlic, jalapeño, and red pepper flakes. Process until the mixture is very fine, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice.

Pour the oil into a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the lemongrass-ginger mixture and the bell pepper and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture softens and is very fragrant, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the stock, cover the pot, raise the heat to high, and bring it to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.

Remove the cover and add the mushrooms. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, covered, until the mushrooms are soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the bok choy and simmer, uncovered, until it is tender, 2 to 4 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and add the tofu, coconut milk, soy sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Stir gently to combine. Season with salt and more pepper flakes, if desired. Stir in the cilantro and basil and serve immediately.