This Red Curry Tomato Soup is rich in tomato flavor accented with red curry paste, coconut milk, and fish sauce served with a punchy Ginger Scallion Sauce.
3scallionswhite and light green parts only, finely chopped
½cupneutral oilI used canola
¼cupfresh mint and cilantro leaveswashed and patted dry
Red Curry Tomato Soup
2tbspoil from the Ginger Scallion Saucesee above
3shallotshalved and thinly sliced
2clovesgarlicthinly sliced
1 (1 1/2")knobgingercut into matchsticks
1stalklemongrasstough outer leaves removed
2tbspred curry paste
1tbsptomato paste
2 (796ml, 27 fl oz)canswhole tomatoes
1 cup + 2tbspvegetable or chicken stockdivided
3tbspfish sauce
2tbspturbinado sugar **
1 (400ml, 14 fl oz)can coconut milk
1tbspcornstarch
½limejuiced
Instructions
For the Herbs & Ginger Scallion Sauce
Place the ginger and scallions in a heat proof jar and set aside.
Pour the oil into a cold frying pan and place over medium heat. When the oil begins to ripple, add mint and cilantro leaves, 2-3 at a time. You will know the oil is hot enough if it bubbles instantly when you add the herbs. Quickly fish out the herbs and transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel.
Once the herbs are fried, pour the hot oil over the scallions and ginger. The oil will bubble violently and then subside. Set the jar aside to cool slightly.
For the Soup
Add the cooled ginger scallion oil to a large Dutch oven. Heat the oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallots and reduce the heat. Stir in a pinch of salt and sweat the shallots until just translucent. Stir in the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant.
Add the red curry paste and tomato paste. Sauté until the oil begins to separate from the curry paste. Pour in the whole tomatoes and break them up with your spoon.
Add a cup of the vegetable or chicken stock and bring the mixture up to a boil and add the lemongrass. Stir in the fish sauce and turbinado sugar and reduce the soup to a simmer. Let cook for 20 minutes.
When the 20 minutes are up, remove the lemongrass and transfer the soup to a large food processor. Working in batches, blitz the soup until smooth. Pour the purée through a fine-mesh strainer before returning to the pot. This step is optional.
Return the pot to the stove and pour in a can of coconut milk. Bring the soup up to a gentle simmer. In a small bowl whisk to combine the cornstarch and the remaining stock. Pour the mixture into the soup and stir until thickened slightly.
Finish the soup with half a lime’s worth of juice and take it off the heat. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the ginger and scallions and fried herbs from earlier. Serve immediately
Notes
** Brown sugar will work as well but it is slightly sweeter, so knock it back by half a tablespoon.
Keyword coconut milk, lemongrass, red curry paste, tomatoes