Thai Red Curry Soup

Ever been to Wagamama's and had Chicken Itame? I have it every time when I go there, possibly because I don't know what most of the other things are! Wagamama's describe it as 'rice noodles in a spicy green coconut and lemongrass soup topped with stir-fried chicken, beansprouts, chillies, red and spring onions, bok choi, peppers and mushrooms. garnished with coriander and lime.'

This is my variation of it, with red curry paste.

One day last year I was sat in a lecture on a Friday afternoon, craving Chicken Itame, so I spent the last few minutes of the lecture (oops!) googling recipes but couldn't find exactly what I wanted. I found some similar recipes, so decided to start with them, and I made a shopping list. Since then, I have made it many times, and it is one of my favourite meals to cook, as its so easy, filling, healthy and tasty! I always make big portions, and can freeze the leftovers.

-Turkey/chicken breast (like the photo below)
-For a seafood version - prawns/mussels/calamari rings/crab sticks/seafood sticks (like the photo above)
-Mushrooms
-Aubergine
-Courgettes
-Onion
-Chilli
-Beansprouts
-Red/yellow/green peppers
- Red Thai Curry Paste (or lemongrass paste, ginger paste, chilli paste and garlic paste)
-Coconut milk (either a 400ml can or a carton, but a carton is not as rich)
-Noodles (egg noodles, rice noodles, wholewheat noodles...take your pick!)
-Spinach/Bok choi
-Lime (not necessary, but finishes it off perfectly)

1. I cut the meat into bite sized pieces, then cooked them in a little olive oil in a large frying pan/wok. If you are making the seafood version, don't add the seafood yet, as it only takes minutes to cook and will have a strange texture if you overcook them.

2. I chopped and added all of the vegetables (not the spinach/bok choi leaves) to the pan, and let that cook for a few minutes.

3. When everything looks cooked, add the Thai red curry paste. If you are making your own paste out of chilli, ginger, lemongrass and garlic, then mix them together in a small pot, you will want at least half a tablespoon of each. You can alter the taste of it to suit you. I love lemongrass, so I always add extra lemongrass! Cook this on a high heat for a few minutes, you don't want it to burn but you want the spices to release their flavour and fill the air with their aroma!

4. Add the coconut milk. You can either get rich coconut milk in a can, or thin coconut milk in a carton, which will be near the soya and almond milk at the supermarket. The carton milk is low in fat and a good alternative to dairy, so perfect if you are on a diet. I have used both, and they both taste good.

5. If you are using noodles, seafood or spinach/bok choi leaves, you should add them now. 

6. Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer until the noodles are cooked.

7. Take off the heat, serve the soup in a bowl and add a squeeze of lime juice.

To make it cheaply, I buy frozen seafood, spinach and peppers. You can even buy frozen diced onions. Bulking it out with veg makes it a lot healthier, more filling, and more portions.

I hope you enjoy this!

Zoe x

Coconut and Lime Cupcakes

We used to make a coconut and lime cake with a lemon-lime syrup when we were younger, and it was my favourite kind of cake. The syrup adds extra bursts of flavour. 

I haven't made it at all since being at university, so this summer I bought a bag of dessicated coconut so that I could make it. 

Then I thought 'what about turning it into cupcakes?' and ta dah! The coconut-lime cupcakes with a lemon-lime syrup and lemon butter icing were made. 

I split my cupcake mixture into two, one half had coconut, and the other didn't. I definitely preferred them with the coconut, but I also had to cater for the fussy people!

Recipe:

Cupcake

- 125g butter

- 125g caster sugar

- Zest of half a lime

- 2 eggs

- 150g self-raising flour (or 150g all-purpose flour plus 1 tsp baking powder)

- 60g dessicated sweetened coconut (Can be left out if you don't like coconut)

Syrup

- Zest of half a lime

- Juice of two limes (make the icing before you make the syrup)

- 4 tbsp lemon juice

- 100g caster sugar

Icing

- 75g butter

- 125g icing sugar

- Zest of 3/4 a lime

Lime Zest Curls

- 1/4 lime zest, peeled and chopped into thin strips (see pictures)

- 2 tbsp caster sugar, sprinkled onto a plate

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a muffin tray with 12 cupcake cases.

2. Cream the butter for as long as you can with a fork, or an electric whisk.

3. Add the sugar and lime zest, mix.

4. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

5. Sift in the flour in and mix again. Stir in the coconut.

6. Put a tablespoon of batter into each cupcake case. There should be enough for about 13 cupcakes, or 12 and some batter for you to lick up!

7. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.

8. While the cakes are cooling, start to make the icing. Cream the butter until it is pale and fluffy, either with a fork or an electric whisk. 

9. Add the icing sugar and lime zest. Mix it together s-l-o-w-l-y at first so that icing sugar doesn't fly everywhere!!

10. Cut the lime into super thin strips like the picture below.

11. Make up the syrup with the sugar, lime zest, lime juice and lemon juice. Heat it in a saucepan gently, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lime strips. Boil the syrup for 5 minutes, or until it has thickened. Remember it will thicken more when it cools.

12. Remove the lime strips from the syrup and roll them in sugar that is sprinkled over the plate.

13. Poke holes into the top of the cupcakes with a cocktail stick. Carefully spoon the syrup onto each cupcake. You can add another spoonful of syrup onto it when the previous spoonful of syrup has soaked in.

14. When your cakes and syrup are cooled, decorate them with the icing, either piping it on or spread it on with a knife!

Let me know if you make these, and what you think of them!

Zoe x