Thai red pepper soup
Sometimes I want to eat something light and quick, and soup does not have to be laborious or longwinded. This recipe uses bits out of jars that, when put together, can make something altogether delicious. And while you’re making the soup you can be baking some spicy seeds to go on top for snacking on later.
SERVES 6 PREP 15 mins COOK 25 mins EASY V
For the soup
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp garlic paste, or 4-5 garlic cloves, crushed
4 tsp Thai red curry paste 480g jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 slices bread, stale or fresh (about 80g)
250ml coconut milk
1 tbsp ground coriander
For the spicy seeds
1 egg, white only (chill the yolk for up to two days to use in another recipe, adding a little water when storing as they dry out quickly) 450g sunflower seeds 1/2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic granules 50g desiccated coconut 1 tsp ground coriander
1 Start by making the soup. This is almost an all-in-one, whack-thelid-on kind of job, but you will notice I said almost – everything benefits from cooking out, especially the Thai red curry paste. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4, ready for making the spicy seeds later. Put the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the garlic paste, red curry paste and 1 tsp salt and cook for about 5 mins. If it starts to stick, turn the heat down and add a splash of water to stop it burning.
2 Meanwhile, chop the peppers roughly and add them to the curry paste mixture. Pour in 1.5 litres boiling water – boiling it first helps to speed up the process. Tear in chunks of the bread and bring back to the boil, then leave it on a rapid simmer for 10 mins.
3 Now make the spicy seeds. Whisk the egg white in a bowl until foamy, then stir in the sunflower seeds, making sure all of them have an even coating. Sprinkle in 1/2 tsp salt, the sugar, paprika and garlic granules and mix well.
4 Toss in the desiccated coconut and coriander, then spread the seeds on two non-stick baking sheets in an even layer. Bake in the oven for 10-12 mins, but be sure to keep an eye on them – they will need turning halfway. Once the seeds are dry to touch, they are ready to go. Take them out of the oven and set aside.
5 Meanwhile, add the coconut milk to the soup, stir through, then blitz until smooth using a stick blender.
6 To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle over some of the spicy seeds and a drizzle of olive oil, if you like. There will be leftover soup to freeze, and the best way to do this is in individual portions. As for the seeds, you will have plenty left to sprinkle on whatever you like or just for snacking. Will keep in an airtight jar for up to three weeks.
PER SERVING 343 kcals • fat 28g • saturates 9g • carbs 14g • sugars 3g • fibre 2g • protein 8g • salt 1.4g