Thai Inspired Fish Soup

A couple of hours ago I went to the supermarket to just get some heavy cream (for my coffee, on that some other time). Of course I was picking up stuff as I was walking the isles. So the lethal combo of being hungry, seeing that tilapia was on sale again, and the fact that it snowed overnight and was around freezing temp the whole day, I was daydreaming soup – initially a sort of Spanish style fish soup, but then it hit me. Something like Thai coconut-lime-fish-Pho-Tom kah-spicy, yep, something like that soup. So here is what happened, in an action-packed movie and recipe for what I came up with. I had three bowls already and I’m stopping myself from keep eating.

And no, I did not accelerate the chopping footage! Or any footage for that matter…No Fingers were harmed during the making of this soup.

5 garlic cloves
Half inch piece ginger
Half to whole smoked chili like pasilla or chipotle
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp peanut or avocado Oil
2 shallots
1 small red onion
1 can coconut milk
4 cups water (some can be broth)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp curry (home made, see here)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp (or to taste) hot red pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp beet powder (optional, home made)
Juice from two limes
Half a lime (optional, adds some bitterness, skip or take out after a few minutes).
Lemongrass
Two scallions
2-3 small tomatoes cubed
7-8 baby Bella mushrooms, cubed
Half a red bell pepper, sliced thin
3/4pb tilapia cubes
12 shrimp cubed
Chopped cilantro and lime to serve

Crush garlic, ginger, chili, coconut oil, peanut oil and a little water in a Bullet or with handheld blender, put in soup pot and let fry on medium low for a few minutes until gets brownish.

Thin slice onion and shallots, add to pot and sauté on medium for a few minutes.

Add coconut milk and water and bring to a boil, add all spices, sugar, lime juice, lemongrass, scallions and half a lime, and let cook for a few minutes.

Add tomatoes, mushrooms and bell pepper, bring to a boil.
Add fish and shrimp. Cook for another 10 minutes or so, until cooked.
Serve with lime juice and fresh chopped cilantro added.
You can add cooked rice noodles, I didn’t but it would be a good match.

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