This bold spicy Thai rice soup is packed with flavor from ginger, lemongrass, garlic and shallots. It makes for a quick weeknight meal.
I’ve become more selective about the cookbooks I buy or request as gifts. My current collection numbers more than 200, and I cannot bear to get rid of any of them. So this past Christmas, I only asked for two: Signature Dishes That Matter and Milk Street Tuesday Nights. We’re not out of January yet and Milk Street is taking a beating. The book is packed with recipes from cuisines all over the globe and all of them are quick and easy enough for a weeknight. That’s my kind of book.
I flipped through the pages and a recipe for Thai rice soup caught my eye. I had all of the ingredients on hand (I keep lemongrass in my freezer…), so I made a batch for a weekend lunch. We devoured it! It’s spicy and satisfying and will go into regular rotation. I, of course, modified it according to our tastes, so my version is below. It’s definitely got kick so adjust the chili garlic paste if you want it a little milder.
Looking for other soups that double as a whole meal? One of my all-time favorites is chicken tortilla soup.
- 1 lb. ground pork
- 4 Tbsp. fish sauce, divided
- 3 Tbsp. chili-garlic sauce (sambal oelek)
- ¾ tsp. white pepper
- 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 4 large shallots, thinly sliced
- 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 3 lemongrass stalks, halved and smashed with the back of a knife
- 2 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
- A small bunch of fresh cilantro
- Juice of half a lime, plus lime wedges for serving
- I a large bowl, combine the pork with 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of the chili-garlic paste and the pepper. Mix well. Form the mixture into 1-inch meatballs and place on a platter. Cover and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
- In a pot over medium heat, heat the coconut oil. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook until golden brown. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ginger and lemongrass and cook another 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Discard the lemongrass. Add the meatballs and simmer until they are cooked through. Stir in the lime juice, remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce and 1 tablespoon chili-garlic sauce. Season to taste with salt or fish sauce, if needed.
- Warm the rice. To serve, put some rice in a bowl. Scoop some of the soup over the rice. Sprinkle generously with cilantro and serve with more lime, if desired.
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