I know that soup in the summertime, especially soup eaten OUTSIDE on a summer afternoon, seems counterintuitive. Why would one want to consume something that is notable for warming a person up on a day when the objective would seem to be to keep cool? That was my attitude about summer soup for years and it took an actual experience in conditions very similar to the ones described above (except it was in a humid jungle, not my own backyard) to teach me that hot soup on a hot afternoon actually works. I realized that some of my favorite soups come from places where cool weather is uncommon, and I embraced the idea of becoming one with the heat by eating some of it.
When I do serve summer soups, I don’t serve them as hot as I would during the winter, but they are still quite warm. This particular soup has the flavors of traditional Thai tom ka soup and utilizes some of the summer vegetables that are in such abundance right now. When my friend came for lunch I paired this soup with the sticky rice and peanut sauce from my cookbook 20-40-60 Minute Dinners, but you could also serve it with plain rice or a nice bread.
Ingredients
- 2 cups glutinous rice
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon-1 tablespoon (to taste) red curry paste
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
- 3 Tablespoons palm or brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons lime juice
- 1 leek or medium onion, sliced thin and, if using onions, cut into 1 ½-inch lengths
- 2 lemongrass stalks, chopped
- 2 cups water
- 2 jalapeno (or similar) peppers, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½ to 1-inch pieces
- 1 can coconut milk or cream
- 2 Tablespoons prepared tom kha paste
- 2 chicken breasts, salted if possible, and sliced thin
Step 1: Place rice in a bowl and cover it with water. Soak the rice for at least 2-3 hours.
Step 2: Place a small saucepan over medium heat. Spoon about a tablespoon of the coconut cream at the top of the can into the saucepan. Add the red curry paste and cook, stirring constantly for about 45 seconds. Whisk in the peanut butter, sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and the remainder of the 1 cup coconut cream (the thick portion at the top of the jar). Continue whisking until the sugar dissolves and the sauce thickens slightly.
Step 3: Place the leeks and lemongrass into a large saucepan and add the water. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and simmer for approximately 10 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
Step 4: Stir the jalapeno and carrots into the leek mixture and cook for 5 minutes.
Step 5: Stir the zucchini, coconut milk, and tom kha paste into the soup. Return to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken breasts and cook briefly until the chicken is just finished. Serve immediately!
