Pantry Challenge Day 6 - Thai-inspired Noodle Soup

This was actually Friday's dinner, but with the bitter cold, the horses have required a bit of extra attention, so I have been rather busy. Shoveling out stalls is a challenge when everything you are trying to shovel is frozen solid and you can't feel your hands! Hopefully I will have another post before the end of the weekend.

This is just the soup you want to come home to after working outside in the snow and ice. It is not entirely authentic and I rarely ever make it exactly the same way from one time to the next. I just know it is one of my all-time favorite comfort foods. I love the combination of coconut milk, lime, and sriracha, or rooster sauce (a Thai hot sauce that some people call Thai ketchup). I would normally use lite coconut milk for this, but all I had in the pantry was full-fat (darn…….NOT!).

6-8 cups water or broth
1/2 block extra-firm tofu (NOT silken), cut into 1" cubes (I didn't have any tofu, so I left it out)
3 cups cabbage, thinly sliced
6 oz shitake mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, chopped or shredded
2 green onions, with green parts, sliced (I only had regular onion, so use 1/2, chopped)
1 tbs curry powder
½ tsp cumin
1” fresh ginger, minced or 1 tsp ground
Juice and zest of 1 lime
1 can coconut milk
Sriracha, to taste
12 oz pad thai noodles (I used brown rice rotini this time)

In a large soup pot, bring water or broth to boil. Add cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, green onions, curry powder, ginger, and cumin. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add pad thai noodles, tofu, coconut milk, lime juice and zest, and srirracha. Return to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until noodles are done – about 7-10 minutes. NOTE: If you are using something other than pad thai noodles, pay attention to the required cooking time for that pasta - you may need a few more - or less - minutes here.

This tastes even better the next day, but you may have to thin it out with a little water.

Okay - after having this for dinner Friday and as leftovers last night, I feel compelled to come back and make a quick disclaimer. How to say this delicately..... If you are unaccustomed to consuming full-fat coconut milk, or even if you eat it frequently, please be aware that it can have an interesting effect on your digestive system. 'Nuff said??