Enticing Thai Coconut and Shrimp Soup
This Thai coconut and shrimp soup is a quick and easy weeknight meal that's packed with flavor. The combination of coconut milk, red curry paste, and kaffir lime leaves gives the soup a rich and complex flavor, while the shrimp, lemongrass, and red bell pepper add a nice balance of sweetness and acidity. The soup is also very versatile, so you can easily customize it to your own taste by adding or subtracting ingredients.
This recipe is based on a traditional Thai soup called tom kha gai. Tom kha gai is typically made with chicken, but I've adapted it here to use shrimp instead. I've also made a few other changes to the recipe to make it more accessible to home cooks. For example, I've used canned coconut milk instead of fresh coconut milk, and I've omitted the galangal and makrut lime leaves, which can be difficult to find in some areas. I've also reduced the amount of red curry paste in the recipe to make it less spicy. As a result, this soup is a bit milder than traditional tom kha gai, but it's still very flavorful and satisfying.
Enticing Thai Coconut and Shrimp Soup Enticing Thai Coconut and Shrimp Soup Enticing Thai Coconut and Shrimp Soup Enticing Thai Coconut and Shrimp Soup
Prep time: 10 | Cook time: 15 | Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cans coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 3 kaffir lime leaves, torn
  • 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 cup chopped lemongrass
  • 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 2 cups sliced baby bok choy
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
  1. Bring 3 cups chicken broth to a boil in a large pot.
  2. Reduce heat to medium and whisk in two cans coconut milk, 2 tablespoons red curry paste, and 3 kaffir lime leaves.
  3. Add 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1/2 cup chopped lemongrass, and 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper.
  4. Simmer soup until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
  5. Add 2 cups sliced baby bok choy and cook until tender, about 2 minutes more.
  6. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and squeeze in the juice from 1 lime wedge.
  7. Serve hot, garnished with lime wedges.
Why It Works
  • The combination of coconut milk, red curry paste, and kaffir lime leaves gives the soup a rich and complex flavor.
  • The shrimp, lemongrass, and red bell pepper add a nice balance of sweetness and acidity.
  • The soup is very versatile, so you can easily customize it to your own taste by adding or subtracting ingredients.