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Sorry to have been so MIA this month on the blog! As some of you Twitter followers have heard, I just recently put my little house on the market, which ended up being quite the project. Holy moly. Suffice it to say, the majority of the time I have spent in the kitchen recently has been painting cabinets and shelves, repainting the walls and trim (twice!!), replacing hardware, and cleaning galore. And then of course, I had to remove my beloved kitchen appliances from the countertops and clean out anything unnecessary from the cabinets. So instead of cooking, I have to admit there have been quite a few salad and Kashi pizza nights happening… :)
Once the house went up on the market last week, though, I finally did take an afternoon to make a nice lunch. I looked in my much-more-bare-than-usual cabinets and saw a can of coconut milk begging to be used, along with a bag of shrimp in the freezer. So decided to pull out this recipe I had bookmarked from Martha awhile back! The yummy ingredients had caught my eye, and I also knew it would be quick to prepare (which is now a priority, since I have to be out in 15 minutes if a realtor calls and wants to show the house). So decided to give it a go!
Not to my surprise, it ended up being delicious! The garlic and ginger flavors were actually much more mild than I anticipated, but harmonized well together in that wonderfully creamy coconut-broth. And I loved the kick of the lime squeezed in at the end. Next time I may try adding some broccoli slaw or some other veggies to the broth, but this recipe stands great on its own. Definitely a different, quick and delicious new soup recipe to add to my list of favorites!
1 pound (6 to 8 medium) carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 ounces angel-hair pasta
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Coarse salt
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Heat oil in a large (3-quart) saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add carrots, coconut milk, and 3 cups water. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until smooth; add to pot. Bring to a boil.
Break pasta in half; add to pot. Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until pasta is al dente and carrots are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add shrimp; stir until opaque, about 1 minute. Remove pot from heat, and stir in lime juice; season with salt. Ladle into serving bowls, and garnish with scallions and cilantro.
Resist the temptation to add in extra pasta! I added in about 8 oz. to mine (instead of 4 oz.) and wished I hadn’t. It definitely soaked up more of that yummy broth than I had anticipated. So I recommend following the recipe. :-)
Looks delicious. I have a question though. You say to use a can of coconut milk, but you’ve previously written a post on how to make coconut milk. Is there a reason why you recommend a can vs. making it? I’ve never had coconut milk so I don’t know anything about it and am just wondering.
Thanks for your question! I did end up using a can for this recipe, since the canned coconut milk is usually thicker in consistency (which made the soup creamier). But you could definitely use either! :)
I’m not a fan of coconut but I must admit that this looks delicious and I will probably have to give it a try very soon! :)
I wish we had shrimp so I could make this for lunch. Bravo for a beautiful recipe!
Looks delicious. I have a question though. You say to use a can of coconut milk, but you’ve previously written a post on how to make coconut milk. Is there a reason why you recommend a can vs. making it? I’ve never had coconut milk so I don’t know anything about it and am just wondering.
Hi Alina,
Thanks for your question! I did end up using a can for this recipe, since the canned coconut milk is usually thicker in consistency (which made the soup creamier). But you could definitely use either! :)
~A
I like the sound of shrimp in a coconut soup!