Thai coconut soup

It has been quite a mission to find a supermarket in London that I feel comfortable buying products. There is a hierarchy based on social status when you go grocery shopping. Whole Foods Market, which is an American “natural” and “organic” market is considered to be luxurious. In fact, it is 3 times more expensive than in the U.S. It is also limited in the selection. But this is something I have noticed in all supermarkets. There is a lack of fresh produces. Everything is packed, pre-packed, precooked and ready to be eaten for the many city workers. Tesco, which is a popular supermarket is average nothing like a Publix. There is no equivalent of Publix, at least in the center of London. Watrose is a high hand grocery store and despite their lack of options they do carry quite some interesting fresh produces like lemon grass. Because I rarely can find lemon grass in the store in Tallahassee, FL, I decided to make a coconut thai soup.

 

Coconut Thai Soup

Lemon grass cut in small pieces

Cilantro chopped

fresh chili (one chopped)

Half fresh green/white cabbage

one can coconut milk

a hand full of fresh small tomatoes (cherry)

Fresh mushrooms

one teaspoon of curry

one teaspoon of cumin

some vegetable broth

(I think I am forgetting something)

Chopped all veggie, pour some olive oil and garlic minced in a pot and add all the veggie. Brown for few minutes and add the coconut milk and broth. Stir and let it cook until all veggies are soft. 

You can serve with rice, add pulled chicken or tofu. It takes only 30 minutes to make.

Enjoy!

Asian curry stew

I made this crazy spicy soup/stew served with brown rice tonight out of left overs. Literally, I had nothing to cook except for a left over grilled tilapia fish, 3 chicken stripes, scallions, onions, a can of tomatoes, and 1/4 of coconut milk, oh and fresh cilantro. What could I make with these ingredients that it is actually eatable? I came up with an asian/italian stew/soup. Just to let you know if you keep cooking the sauce on low heat for a long time you will get a stew, kind of vindaloo dish. If you are in a rush you will get more a soup thing. Also this recipe is super spicy.

Asian Italian crazy soup with brown rice

3 strips of chicken cut long and thin

one left over grilled tilapia fish chopped

1/2 cup of fresh scallions chopped

1/4 chopped cilantro

1/4 cocunut milk

1 spoon yellow curry

one can tomatoes

one clove of garlic minced

1/4 chopped onion

one spoon (light) of soy bean sauce (bought at Asian market)

one spoon (light) peanut sauce (bought at Asian market)

one teaspoon chopped finely rosemary

one small bottle of clams or fish juice

Add water as needed

In a skillet heat olive oil with garlic and onion. Add chicken. Brown the chicken then add the coconut milk with the curry. Add tomato can and fresh cilantro and scallions. Stir all. Cook on medium-low heat. Add the peanut sauce, soy bean sauce and stir very well. Add the fish. (if you are vegetarian substitute meat with tofu). 

In the meantime cook brown rice according to package directions. It should be steamed. 

Note:  this is a version of a stew. It will taste better if you cook it on low heat over a long period of time. The flavors will merge together, but I made it in 30 minutes!!

Serve a ball of rice (you can use the measuring cups to shape it) in the middle of a bowl. Add the stew around it. Sprinkle with cashews. Serve if you like with fresh garnish cilantro. Now, this recipe has strong flavors. The curry is spicy as well as the soy bean sauce. The peanut sauce is very powerful and if you put too much it will overpower the entire recipe. Just a head up. This is very spicy. 

 

P.s. If you want a low carb version, omit the rice. That is what I did for me:0