Thai-style Shrimp Soup

So, full disclosure: This was supposed to be a Thai crab soup. Then I pitched the crab for shrimp. Then I realized I had coconut milk, not coconut juice, so that happened. Green onions replaced shallots. Fish sauce replaced shrimp paste. Then I tasted the finished product and remembered how much I dislike Thai soups. Absolutely can't stand them - I have yet to taste one I've liked. So a couple more things were added and voila, this suitably off-bland, just a step down from being sour soup was born :-).

I'm still a little surprised by how much I enjoyed the end product, although I doubt it'll become a staple in my repertoire. (A little too much fish sauce for my taste I think.) Irregardless, this is a nice fasting soup for the long, cold weeks of the Advent Fast, and worth trying if you have a taste for Thai soups or for the sour. (In fact, if you really enjoy sour dishes, then I would suggest leaving off with the sugar and rice.)


Thai-style Shrimp Soup

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of peanut oil
2 tablespoons of Thai yellow curry paste
3 green onions (minced)
3 tablespoons of fresh ginger (peeled and grated)
4 cups of water
28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
15-ounce can of pureed pumpkin (no additives)
4 teaspoons of vegetable bouillon
1 pound of shelled shrimp
1 1/2 cups of coconut milk
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of lime juice
1 tablespoon of fish sauce
3 teaspoons of sugar
10+ large leaves of basil (chopped)
1/2 to 1 cup of dry rice (cooked)

Directions
1) Lord, bless!
2) Heat the peanut oil on medium heat in a large pot and sautee the curry paste, green onions, and ginger until the green onions soften.
3) Add the water, tomatoes, pureed pumpkin, and bouillon and bring to a boil.
4) Once the soup has begun to boil add the shrimp and boil for 5 to 10 minutes.
5) Reduce heat, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for a few minutes.
6) Serve and enjoy! (You could reserve some chopped green onions or basil for a garnish if desired.) My friends' kids enjoyed this with parmesan, but to each their own!