Thai Style Pea & Apple Soup

Cold weather often calls for these essentials in my kitchen:-

• stick blenders (or food processor)
• ready-made stock from the pantry
• a large pot

If you keep these essentials at all times, you’re set to be warm and comforted on cold (and rainy) days…. in which I have been experiencing a lot lately in Orange (NSW).

While some people wouldn’t mind having soups and breads as a meal, soup to me is more like an in-between meals tummy filler or best of all, a “palm-warmer” while cozying up with my beloved under a blanket while watching DVDs.

  

As you may know me by now that I’m a big fan of impromptu cooking. Hence, this soup is made of ingredients which are commonly available in my pantry/fridge (I hope it is the same as you too!).

You may use any curry paste available, but you will have to adjust the proportion based on the type of paste you use. As a guide, you can start with a teaspoon full of curry paste and keep topping it up to taste.

Asian Inspired Pea & Apple Soup

About 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 litre /4 cups /34 fluid oz of your preferred ready made stock (vegetable stock was used for this recipe)
• 500g / 18 oz frozen peas
• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 1 tbsp green curry paste (as a guide only – may need  to adjust to your liking)
• A handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped
• A packet (100g / 4 oz) of Chang’s Crunchy Noodles (the flat ones)

Methods:

• Dice the apples. If you are using a stick blender, try to dice them as small as you can (I wish I have done this!). This will ease the blending later on (translation: less splattering) .
• Saute green curry paste, frozen peas and apples until aromatic. (This should take about a minute or two).

• Add vegetable stock into the peas’ mixture and allow the soup mixture to boil over low-medium flame until apple and peas are soft enough to be blend. Cover the pot with a lid to fasten the process.

• Meanwhile, prepare your garnishes by chopping the coriander and chilli finely. Set aside in the fridge.

• Check the apples with a fork if they are soft enough to blend especially you are using a stick blender like myself.

• Blend away….until smooth and velvelty.

• Then put the soup back to the stove and continue to cook over low-medium flame, uncovered,  just to thicken the soup a little. You may want to taste the soup if salt / sugar is necessary. As for myself, I think the soup is just fine as it is…. especially there’s already some seasonings in the green chilli paste and stock.
• To serve: top the soup with chopped coriander, chilli and those addictive crispy noodles.

 

 

By the way, I have been away to Perth and Bali on vacation which explains my temporary absence from the blogsphere. The trip was short but sweet …and the highlight would be my friend’s beach front wedding and the wonderful culinary experience in Bali. I had too many satays to count….. (no surprise there!) and I came back with a light tan and many sweet memories to cherish. Hope things have been well with you guys! 🙂