Fresh Pea Soup with Thai Flavors

The French love simple soups. Dinner is often a hot bowl of soup with a piece of crusty bread. I make a lot of fresh pea soups using humble frozen petite peas. They're economical, fast, easy and just great to keep in your freezer for spur of the moment meals.

This is a good recipe to have around the holidays when you're pressed for time and tired. Think about making it after the holidays, when you're in need of something nourishing and green. The sunny Thai flavors and bright springtime color are welcome during winter.

The pea soup takes under thirty minutes to prepare. It's spiked with creamy coconut milk and Thai green curry paste, creating a lively soup with a lovely texture and a complex flavor. The soup works because the coconut milk tones down the heat of the curry paste. The peas add a subtle sweetness. Creamy, sweet and spicy with the pop of some whole peas thrown in at the end. Finish it with a sprinkling of unsweetened shredded coconut. Fresh mint or basil and a squeeze of lime juice are welcome too.

Fresh Pea Soup with Thai Flavors Recipe 

Makes a large pot full ~ about 4-6 servings

Some Notes 

Petite peas are what you want in this recipe. They're easier to blend into a creamy soup.

Maesri green curry paste. It comes in small convenient cans, It has a well rounded flavor with no bitter aftertaste. I like it best. The link for this brand is included in the recipe. I find two scant teaspoons of this paste to be pretty spicy. But cut back to one teaspoon if you don't want a lot of heat. You can always stir in more at the end but you can't take it out.

I also love Rapunzel No Salt Vegetable Bouillon. It has a pure, clean taste. If you can't find it then substitute your favorite bouillon or omit the bouillon and just use water or use the same amount of your favorite vegetable broth or stock. If your bullion or broth has salt, then adjust the salt in the recipe.

I use a little full fat coconut milk here for it's creamy texture. Don't shake the can. Start with 1/3 of the can, taking some of the coconut cream that settles at the top. It will give the soup a lovely texture.   

Ingredients

• 3 16-ounce bags of frozen petite peas
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic minced on a microplane zester or pressed in a garlic press
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and  minced (optional)
• 1/3-1/2 can of full fat coconut milk 
• 1-2 teaspoons of  maesri green curry paste or a brand you like. (see notes)
• 1 bouillon cube of Rapunzel No Salt Vegetable Bouillon or any  brand you like.
• 3 cups of water
• A scant teaspoon of sea salt, or to taste
• Coconut oil or other oil for cooking

Serving Options: shredded unsweetened coconut, fresh Thai basil, regular basil, fresh mint, squeeze of lime juice, crusty bread, crackers, steamed jasmine rice  

Instructions

Saute the onions in some coconut oil with a pinch of salt in a large pot until they're soft. Then add the garlic, ginger and green curry paste. Stir and saute for about a minute. Add the water, salt, bouillon cube and two bags of petite peas. Set one bag aside. Partially cover the pot and bring to a simmer for about five minutes or until the peas are tender but still bright green. Whiz the soup with an immersion blender or in a regular blender or food processor until smooth. 

Stir in the reserved bag of peas and the coconut milk. Try to take some of the coconut cream that usually settles on top. Use enough coconut milk to give it a creamy consistency or to your taste. Warm through. Finish it with freshly squeezed lime juice and a sprinkling of unsweetened shredded coconut or any of the above suggestions. 

Bon Appetit!