Dinner for Ruth, Thai Vegetarian Style

A few of the prepped ingredients for Sour Orange Curry Soup - cabbage, string beans, red onions and tomatoes.

Ruth Kopelman is an adventurous vegetarian, open to all new flavors and tolerant of the escalated heat levels characteristic of Thai cuisine.

Roasted eggplant, onions and red bell peppers, dressed with a zippy and sweet almond sauce, helped balance the soup's fieriness. Much like revenge, a dish people of taste prefer served cold.

Our own house made kimchi.

THAI SOUR CURRY SOUP

Strict vegetarians may substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce used here but sour curry paste generally includes some form of dried seafood. Further information re: substitutions might be found at this Thai Vegetarian site.

Add a scoop of rice or a fistful of noodles to soup bowls for a complete meal and consider embellishing with tofu or shrimp when appetites are hardier. Such as Winter. Such as now.

Heat a large pot or saucepan over medium-high heat and add 2 T. vegetable oil. Toss in 5 T. sour curry paste (available in cans at all Asian grocery stores and many supermarkets - substitute red curry paste if sour is unavailable) and 1/2 t. turmeric powder. Fry, stirring constantly, for one full minute.

Immediately pour in 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, 2 cups water, 2 T. sugar, 1 cup chopped onions (red or shallots preferred), 1 cup chopped green beans, 1 cup chopped cabbage and 1 cup chopped tomatoes. bring to a boil for 3 minutes.

Now stir in: 3 T. tamarind paste or concentrate, 2 T. fish sauce and 2 T. lime juice. Check for seasoning and adjust to your tastes. Remove from heat and add 2 cups chopped watercress, spinach or arugula. Serve piping hot.