It’s late November already! I can’t quite believe it. I’ve just had a text from my sister asking what my children would like for Christmas, and my youngest is constantly watching Christmas films.
With Christmas in mind I thought I’d give you the recipe for a soup that is simple enough to make at any time of the year but delicious enough to make for a special occasion.
Years ago, as a student, I bought The Ultimate Healthy Eating Cookbook published by Lorenz Books from a discount store in Meadowhall Shopping Centre. This was in the late 90s when Britain’s taste buds were still waking up. I tried a few of the recipes but none of them did much for me. Except the Thai Style Sweetcorn Soup. Although it’s simple to make, with a relatively short ingredients list, it was a taste explosion. I loved it instantly, committed it to memory and made it frequently – for a while.
A few years ago I went through my cook books, getting rid of any shelf-hoggers to make space for new, more exciting books. A small pile was removed and dispatched to the charity shop.
One Saturday a few months ago, I was wondering what to make for lunch. A quick rummage through the cupboards, fridge and freezer confirmed that I desperately needed to do a supermarket shop – never a good position to be in at the weekend. However, a few spring onions in the bottom of the fridge and a packet of prawns in the freezer caught my eye. The distant memory of this soup was hauled to the surface of my mind. One of my favourite soups that we had not had for years.
I went to grab the cook book only to find that it was not on the shelf and memories of my clear out flooded back. A minor panic set in. I could remember the basics of the soup but not the detail. I gave it a go using the spring onions and prawns, adding any other ingredients I could remember. The finished product was fine, but not as good as the original.
A few weeks later we were visiting my sister. As I walked through her dining room a familiar cover jumped off the shelf at me. The Ultimate Healthy Eating Cookbook. She had the book. Thrilled, I quickly jotted down the recipe and the following weekend we had the real Thai Style Sweetcorn Soup. I had left out the sesame oil – its addition makes all the difference.
So feel free to make this soup at any time of the year as I do, but it really is special enough to eat over the Christmas season. It is great to make it in advance and freeze but don’t add the prawns if this is your intention – add them just before you serve it.
All you need now for a light lunch is some lovely fresh bread and maybe a glass of wine. Enjoy!
Thai Sweetcorn and Prawn Soup
A quick and easy soup to make. The sweetcorn and prawns work brilliantly together. The sesame oil adds that perfect finishing touch.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 4 spring onions finely sliced
- 1 clove large garlic crushed
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 450 g frozen sweetcorn
- 400 g cooked peeled prawns (see notes)
- Salt and pepper
- Coriander and sliced fresh chilli to garnish
Instructions
- To prepare the sweetcorn pour 300ml boiling water over the frozen kernels. Now cream the kernels either by pulsing in a food processor or blender, or using a stick blender. The aim is for the kernels to be pureed but retain texture so this will take only a few seconds.
- Fry the spring onions on a low heat for 2-3 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
- Add the stock and sweetcorn. Bring to the boil and simmer for a minute or two.
- Add the prawns, bring back to the boil, and simmer for another minute until they are piping hot. Check the seasoning adding salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve garnished with fresh coriander and sliced chilli if you wish.
Recipe Notes
Use your favourite prawns. I like a mixture of regular prawns and king prawns.
Leave a Reply