Thai curry noodle soup

Winter is not exactly my most favorite season, I know the snow is magical and it is the best time of the year …. warm soups, hot chocolate, holiday cheer… but I can feel the icy sub zero wind chills in my bones. Let’s not even start talking about the pale blue light on cloudy days, I yearn warm sunshine. The only meal that really comforts me is a warm soup, I heart soups and you certainly cannot enjoy them as much in summer. Most of the soups I make is a one pot meal, with some cheese and bread and you got a hearty meal on the table. Thai curry soup is my all time favorite, it is so filling and full of flavor, the best part of this soup is you don’t need a lot of ingredients in your pantry. Just a bit of creativity and some imagination.

 I almost forgot to share some exciting news. One of my images won a photography contest at Craftsy:here is the link to the image .  The second one is huge for me, Michael Ray’s made a list of 100 best food photographers in the world….and I have no idea how, but I did make that list. Michael needs no introduction, he is one of the top food photographer with some hugs brand names under his wing, his work is outstanding . The link has some amazing people on the list, very inspirational and certainly very humbling. Here is a link to the list.

• 1 can coconut milk
• 2-4 tbsp of  red curry paste (store bought) or you can use recipe of a Thai curry blend.
• 1 cup thin rice noodles cooked according to packet instructions
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1/2 yellow or green pepper
• few ringlets of leek
• 1/4 cup beans
• 1 stalk of spring onions
• 4-5 pieces of baby corn
•  5-6 snow peas
• few pieces of carrot
• few pieces of broccoli
• 2 tsp veggie oil
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 5-6 leaves of thai basil or cilantro
 Nothing on the list of veggies is mandatory, you can add any or if you do not have you can make do with what you have, as you can see in the images I do not have all the veggies in the list. If you do not have red curry paste you can make your own Thai curry blend ( recipe below)  Source : Food Network – Alton Brown

• 2 tablespoons whole cumin seeds, toasted  • 2 tablespoons whole cardamom seeds, toasted  • 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds, toasted  • 1/4 cup ground turmeric  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard  • 1 teaspoon cayenne  Grind all the above to a fine powder and store in a cool dry place, is good for unto 12 weeks.  Sauté the veggies in vegetable oil, pour a can of coconut milk, add /2 cup of veggie or chicken stock, now add the curry paste or 2-3 tsp of Thai spice blend. Some brands of thai curry paste are very spicy while others are bland, so use your discretion.  Add the cooked noodles and bring to boil, garnish with thai basil or cilantro and sesame oil. Make sure the veggies are not cooked all the way and are al dente.  Serve hot.