I'm the one that submitted this recipe and I just wanted to add a little note: If you can't find lemongrass, most stores carry lemongrass paste. It's not as good as fresh lemongrass, but at least you will get some of the flavor. Also, I've discovered that adding basmati rice that is a little toasted or crispy adds another really great element to this soup. One more thing, my recipe calls for minced lemongrass because we like the texture and crunch of it. However, some people might not, so you can just put the whole stalks in a take them out when ready to eat. Thanks for all the great reviews!
EDIT: My recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of curry paste because I used incredibly spicy paste. Lately I am not able to find that particular brand and most red curry pastes on the market are not very spicy. So add to taste and according to how spicy the paste is that you have.
This Was So GOOD! I Added Chicken Instead Of Shrimp (Let The Chunks Of Chicken Simmer In Chile Base For 30 Min, Then Let Simmer WIth Coconut Milk For 45 More Minutes So The Chicken Would Infuse WIth Flavor And Be Tender). Also Added Rice Noodles (I Suggest Boiling Them Separatly, Then Adding Them To A Bowl With The Soup Placed On Top- The Noodles Will Suck Up The Broth If You Add The Dried Noodles To Cook In The Soup.)
So Good, Could Also Add Bean Sprouts Or Anything Else You Can Think Of!!!
Holy smokes, this was AWESOME!!! My boyfriend snarfed it, and I loved it, too. My sister wasn't too hot about the chunks of lemongrass. I liked them, but if they bother you, you can always buy lemongrass paste, I suppose. Anyways, this was fast, easy, and total comfort food. Great recipe!
I used only 2 cans of coconut milk and this was still too much (I love coconut anything). Next time I would only use one and would also add waaay more lime juice (to give it that sweet and sour Thai flavour), more lemongrass, and possibly some lime leaves and fresh Thai chilies. I also added two heads of bok choy to make it more of a meal, which turned out well.
UPDATE: I have a new way of making this soup that has put it in regular rotation. Skip the oil, slice the ginger and lemongrass and throw all ingredients in the left column, plus 4 cups water in a large pot. Let simmer for a bit while you prep the rest, then scoop out the ginger and lemongrass with a slotted spoon. Add regular mushrooms (not shiitakes) and 1 can of coconut milk. After mushrooms have softened a bit add a package of vermicelli rice noodles. When the noodles are done, throw in a small package of whole snap peas, prawns, and lime juice and turn off the heat. Let it sit for a couple of minutes until the prawns are cooked and the peas are bright green. Top with cilantro and serve.
Like many people here I get tempted to tweak recipes. Not this one. It rivals a favorite local Thai restaurant that my Sweetheart and I go to so I resist the temptation to tamper. Some folks might like or expect it to be spicier but for us this is perfect. I wish i could give it more stars.
Absolutely fabulous!!! Because fresh lemon grass wasn't available, I used the tube lemon grass. You need triple the fresh. But oh so yummy!
This was SO good!!!! Here are some of the changes I made though:
I cut the lemon grass too small and it's hard to pick out/ literally hard to eat, so I'd cut 2 stocks in bigger pieces
I used like 4 Tablespoons of red curry paste haha
I used 1 T of fish sauce, I don't like it too fishy
I used Light coconut milk
used white mushrooms cause I think they're way better :)
I also shredded a rotisserie chicken instead of using shrimp and squeezed 4 whole limes in.
I also added broccoli, green beans, little corns, bock choy, green onion (all at the end), and choped half a yellow Onion that I put in when the chicken broth was boiling so it gave flavor/ got really soft. Thanks!!!
We love this soup! I added 1 chicken breast sliced thin in bitesize pieces while the soup was in the simmer because when we get this at our favorite Thai place, this is how they make it! We had never had shrimp in it before, but what a great addition! I did not use Shitake mushrooms because I had white mushrooms, but it would be fabulous. Can't add too much ginger so don't worry about the amount listed in the recipe. I grated it using a microplane. My other additions were galanga and dried red thai chilies 'cause HE likes it hot. I used about a tsp of the tube lemongrass (cause fresh is sometimes hard to find here in the"sticks".) I made the entire recipe and we ate most of it in one sitting. There's just enough for me for lunch today. (YAY!)
Awesome, authentic soup! Tastes great over brown basmati rice with a ton of fresh cilantro on top. Very filling and tastes just as good the next day. This soup has so much flavor. I will make this one again and again!
