Veggie Laska (Coconut Milk Soup)

We tried a new recipe tonight, a one-pot "5 ingredient" curried vegetable and coconut milk soup.  I wanted to make something quick, easy, and delicious and this recipe certainly fit that description.  If you asked my husband he would tell you that I can never follow a recipe exactly as it is written.  This is the truth.  So of course I had to add in my own personal touches to this dish, and then it ended up being more than five ingredients...  But anyway..

Basic recipe here (scroll down the page a bit to get to it):  Veggie Laska

Recipe with my modifications as follows:

Veggie Laska

1 box rice noodles
1-2 tbsp Thai curry paste (more if you like spicy)
2 cans coconut milk
1 bag frozen stir-fry vegetables
5 or 6 small yellow potatoes
4 soy "chicken" patties
1-2 tsp curry seasoning
vegetable broth

Start by putting a little cooking oil in the bottom of a large soup pot over medium heat.  You can use any kind that you like (olive, canola, peanut, etc.)  Keeping with the theme of the meal I opted for coconut oil.  Add your curry paste and curry seasoning.  Allow to took for a minute or so, careful not to let it burn.  Add in your cans of coconut milk.  I also added in about 2 cups of vegetable broth.  Water would work fine too, but you may want to add some salt for flavor.

I am a big fan of the full-fat coconut milk, so I went with that (hey I never said this was a "diet" soup!)

Chop your potatoes and soy chicken patties.   The Whole Foods near us sells these "Delight" brand patties that seriously rock.  Buy this kind if you can.  I sliced them into strips and cubed the potatoes.

Add your potatoes and soy strips to the pot.  Allow to cook for 5 min or so.  Add in your bag of frozen vegetables.  I just love the frozen stir-fry vegetables that Trader Joes sells!  They are also great for a quick meal served over rice when you want something simple.  The bag contains: carrots, snow peas, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, bean sprouts, edamame, and mushrooms.  Let soup come to a boil again, and then turn down the heat to low.

While your soup is simmering, boil a pot of water (or avoid getting out a second pot and use an electric kettle as I did.)  Put your rice noodles in a bowl, but be sure to cook only what you plan to eat that night.  I made half of the box and it was too much for even Erik and I to finish (and that boy can eat.)  Pour boiling water over noodles and allow to sit for around 8 minutes.

When your noodles are done so is your soup!

Drain noodles, divide into soup bowls, and ladle soup into bowls.

I think the whole meal came together in around 25 minutes or so.  And there are lots of leftovers for the next few nights.  Easy peasy  :)  Happy cooking!