Thai Coconut Soup with Shrimp
from http://damndelicious.net/

Skip the take-out and try making this at home. Best of all, it’s so easy to make, and it doesn’t require ingredients that are hard to find. And if you’re not a fan of shrimp, you can easily swap that out for chicken, pork or even tofu for a vegetarian option.

1 cup uncooked basmati rice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoon red curry paste (this is way too hot if using Mae Ploy curry paste - add half this amount, taste and adjust, we found 1 1/2 Tbsp. perfect)
2 (12-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
4 cups vegetable stock [or shrimp stock]
Juice of 1 lime (about 2 Tbsp.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a large saucepan of 1 1 /2 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add shrimp, salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes; remove shrimp and set aside.

Add garlic, onion and bell pepper to the stockpot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in curry paste until well combined, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in coconut milk and vegetable stock, and cook, whisking constantly, until incorporated, about 1-2 minutes.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 8-10 minutes.

Stir in rice, shrimp, lime juice and cilantro.

Serve immediately.

6 servings