Thai Coconut Curry Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 stalk lemongrass, tough outer layer removed, smashed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 3 slices fresh galangal or ginger
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cans (13.5 ounces each) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 Thai chilies or 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 kaffir lime leaves (optional)

Nutrition (estimated per serving)

Method

1. Set a large 5-quart pot over medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, letting it warm for about 30 seconds until it moves easily across the pot when tilted.
2. Add the Thai red curry paste to the oil and stir constantly with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes; the paste should sizzle gently and turn a shade darker and glossier as its oils release and its raw smell fades into a rich, toasty aroma. If it starts sticking and smoking, lower the heat immediately.
3. Add the smashed lemongrass pieces and sliced galangal or ginger, stirring for 30 seconds to release their fragrance into the oil.
4. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any curry paste stuck there. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Reduce the heat to medium-low and stir in both cans of coconut milk. Heat gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally; keep the heat below a hard boil, since boiling coconut milk too aggressively can cause it to separate and look curdled rather than smooth.
6. Add the sliced mushrooms and kaffir lime leaves if using, and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until the mushrooms soften and turn slightly translucent at the edges.
7. Stir in the fish sauce and brown sugar, tasting the broth carefully (it will be hot) - it should taste salty, a little sweet, and deeply savory before you add the sour and spicy elements.
8. Add the shrimp to the simmering broth in a single layer. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until the shrimp turn from translucent gray to opaque pink and curl into a loose C shape; an internal temperature of 145 degrees Fahrenheit means they are done. Do not overcook, or shrimp beyond a tight C shape will turn rubbery.
9. Remove the pot from the heat as soon as the shrimp are cooked - residual heat keeps cooking them even off the burner, so acting quickly here prevents toughness.
10. Stir in the fresh lime juice at the very end, off the heat; adding acidic lime juice while still boiling can make the coconut milk taste flat and can dull its brightness.
11. Fish out and discard the lemongrass pieces, galangal slices, and kaffir lime leaves, since they are tough and unpleasant to bite into even though they added flavor.
12. Taste the soup one more time and adjust: add another tablespoon of lime juice if it needs more brightness, more fish sauce if it needs more salt, or a pinch more sugar if it tastes too sharp.
13. Ladle into bowls, scatter the sliced chilies and cilantro leaves over the top, and serve immediately while hot.

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