Thai Yellow Curry Soup

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Pad Thai noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or palm, avocado)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 Thai chilies, minced or ground
• Several 2 inch sections of slightly crushed lemongrass stalks
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons yellow curry paste
• Optional: 1-2 teaspoons red curry paste to taste for additional spice
• 1 32 ounces broth (vegetarian or chicken)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 1 13.5 ounce can coconut milk
• 10 ounces baby spinach leaves
• $\frac{1}{2}$cup peeled and deveined medium shrimp (or tofu)
• $\frac{1}{2}$ cup sliced mushrooms
• $\frac{1}{2}$ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons Thai basil, lightly chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Noodles
   1. In a large wok bring lightly salted water to a boil.
   2. Add rice noodles and cook until al dente (about 3 minutes).
   3. Drain and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking; set aside.
2. Soup
   1. Separate the white and green parts of the green onions.
      1. Chop the white parts into $\frac{1}{4}$ inch sections.
   2. Dump water and heat oil in the wok over medium heat.
   3. Add garlic, lemongrass, ginger, white sections of green onions; stir until aromatic (30 to 60 seconds).
   4. Add curry paste and cook for 30 seconds.
   5. Add about $\frac{1}{2}$ cup broth and stir until curry paste has dissolved.
   6. Add soy sauce, sugar, remaining broth, and bring to a boil.
   7. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 20 minutes.
   8. Add coconut milk, spinach, shrimp and/or tofu, mushrooms, cilantro, and lime juice.
   9. Add a splash of fish sauce
   10. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer until shrimp are bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque (about 5 minutes).
3. Garnish
   1. While soup is cooking, chop the green onion parts into 1 inch sections, and cut lengthwise into thin slices.
   2. Lightly chop the Thai basil.
   3. Cut the lime into sixths.
4. Turn off heat, remove the lemon grass stalks, and adjust with salt and pepper.
5. Serve
   1. Add noodles to each serving bowl.
   2. Ladle soup over noodles.
   3. Garnish with a sprinkling of sliced green onions, Thai basil, and a lime wedges.