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Coconut red curry and dumpling soup

This is one of our go-to recipes for a quick and easy soup using a lot of kitchen staples and the flavor is outstanding

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Difficulty: Beginner
Servings: 4
Description

We love this recipe because not only does it use mostly or only kitchen staples, it's very customizable, can be on the table in under 30 minutes and it packs so much flavor, you won't believe it. This also uses frozen dumplings (or wontons), and if you are lucky enough to live in Victoria, B.C. I highly recommend the chicken and lemongrass dumplings for this soup from Dumpling Drop, www.dumplingdrop.ca, @dumplingdrop, (or really any of their frozen dumplings, you can't go wrong), they are a little piece of heaven.

A few tips:

  • Use round dumplings or wontons. The half-moon shape works, they're just more difficult to eat in a soup.
  • This is a great way to use up small amounts of random, left over vegetables.
  • Many of the ingredients are Asian in origin, but this isn't specific to one country. I just threw together ingredients that I like and it seemed to have worked out. Just one of those happy accidents as Bob used to say.
Ingredients
  • 1 large shallot, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup thin sliced snow peas (see tip for vegetable options)
  • 4 heads of baby bok choi or similar size of Shanghai bok choi, sliced thin
  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 tbsp red curry paste (I use the brand Aroy-D, and it happens to be vegan. If you are vegan be sure to check ingredients, some pastes contain fish sauce)
  • 4 cups store-bought chicken broth (yes, I know I advocate for homemade always, but this is meant to be easy. If you have homemade broth use it and omit the bouillon. That being said buy or have on hand the best store-bought broth you can find)
  • 1 can regular coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon base, roasted chicken flavor (do not add salt to this dish, there is plenty in the bouillon base. If making vegetarian or vegan use the roasted vegetable base)
  • 2 tbsp brown or palm sugar
  • 4-6 per person frozen, pre-made dumplings (your choice of filling, do not thaw)
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced, green parts only (save the whites for a later use)
  • 1 lime, sliced in 8 wedges
Instructions
  1. 1

    Because this soups goes from on the stove top to the table in about 15 minutes, prep all your vegetables first, regardless of what you're actually using (see notes at the end for options). I like to use a mini food processor to quickly mince the garlic and shallot.

     

    Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat for about 90 seconds and then add the coconut oil. Add the shallot and garlic (if you decide to add a half a bell pepper, use small, thin slices and add them with the garlic and shallot) and sauté about 2 minutes. Then add the red curry paste and sauté another minute or so. Add the stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil. 

  2. 2

    Next, add the dumplings (if using harder vegetables like carrots or cabbage, add then at this stage) and up the heat if needed to keep soup somewhere around a heavy simmer, but don't let it get all the way to a boil. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Add the bok choi and snow peas after a few minutes, and let cook with the dumplings.

  3. 3

    When the timer is done, taste and adjust seasoning if needed, you may want to add a splash of soy or fish sauce. Ladle soup and dumplings into ramen bowls (if you have them, otherwise regular bowls of course work), sprinkle with the green onions and serve with lime wedges. BOOM. Dinner done.

  4. 4
    To make this vegan:

    Use vegetable stock and vegetable Better than Bouillon in place of the chicken stock and bouillon. Swap in either vegan dumplings or soft, cubed tofu and ramen noodles.

  5. 5
    Other vegetables or ingredients
    • Feel free to use other vegetables like chopped broccoli, sliced red bell pepper, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, etc. Use what you like, that's what will make it taste best to you.
    • Want it hotter? Add a bird's eye or Thai chili thinly sliced. You can also add chopped cilantro, I've heard some people like it (thought I have a hard time believing that). 
    • You can use any kind of frozen wonton or dumpling, basically any Asian style will work, again up to you. But do use round rather than half-moon shape, the round are easier to eat in the soup.
    • You can also omit dumplings in favor of cooked, shredded meat or soft, cubed tofu and ramen style noodles. This recipe is very tweakable. Once you've made it you'll figure out what changes, if any, you want to make. 
Keywords: Weeknight meal, Quick, Easy, Kitchen staples, Vegan, Dumplings, Soup
Read it online: https://unlikelychef.com/recipe/quick-and-easy-coconut-red-curry-and-dumpling-soup/
Amanda Nicholson
Food and Lifestyle Blogger