As much as I love exploring the restaurants and cocktail bars of a city, there is something so therapeutic to settling in at home to a challenging recipe, with a complementary cocktail in hand.
When you find that you have ample time to cook because of a pandemic (just, you know, as an example), try making a nice soup and freezing most of it for those days when you won’t have so much time.
This recipe was spicy, pungent, and oh-so-smooth with the addition of blended squash. Don’t skip the garnish- it will make your entire apartment smell like a foot for a few hours (oof, roasted fish sauce…) but it is truly the piece de resistance. I made a little jasmine rice with toasted almonds to accompany the dish, and tossed in some cubed soft tofu.
Find the recipe below (borrowed from the New York Times cooking), with a few notes: I didn’t have lime leaves so substituted lime zest. Also, in place of peanuts I used sliced almonds because again, I had them on hand.
Thai Basil Gin Fizz
Created by my in-house cocktailero Zach, the secret here is a thai chili tincture that brings out the botanical qualities of the gin and basil and adds a nice, lingering spice to the finish. This drink is ideal for a pandemic with all of the immune-boosting ginger and turmeric! Trust me. I know a doctor.
Want to know more about Sneaky’s Tinctures? Send an email to sneakyspiritsocialclub@gmail.com and we’ll fill you in on the rest.
INGREDIENTS (for 2 servings)
- 4oz gin
- 20g diced ginger
- 10g diced turmeric
- 5 leaves fresh basil
- 1oz simple syrup
- Juice of 2 limes (roughly 3oz)
- 4 droppers of Sneaky’s Thai Chili Tincture
Marinate 4oz gin with diced ginger, diced turmeric, and basil leaves for at least 30 minutes. Add all ingredients into a shaker, shake and pour over ice. Top with soda and garnish with a basil leaf.
Butternut Squash and Green Curry Soup
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SOUP:
- 4 tablespoons coconut oil or neutral-tasting oil
- 3 medium shallots, diced
- 1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 lemongrass stalk, cut into 3-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- 2 medium butternut squashes (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded and cut into about 3/4-inch cubes
- 2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans coconut milk
- 6 to 8 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, or to taste
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 to 4 cups water or chicken stock, preferably homemade
FOR THE GARNISH:
- ¾ cup raw peanuts
- ¾ cup unsweetened raw coconut flakes
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 8 small dried red chiles, such as Japones or chiles de árbol, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting or melted coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 10 lime leaves, thinly sliced (optional)
- Handful of Thai or Italian basil leaves
- 2 to 3 limes, quartered
PREPARATION
- Heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt oil in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. When oil shimmers, add shallots, ginger, lemongrass and a generous pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are tender and just starting to brown, about 18 minutes.
- Add squash, coconut milk, curry paste, 3 tablespoons fish sauce and 3 cups water or stock. Increase heat to high. When liquid comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook the soup covered until squash is tender, about 25 minutes.
- Make garnish while soup cooks: In a medium mixing bowl, toss together peanuts, coconut flakes, fish sauce, chiles, 1 tablespoon oil, the minced lemongrass, the sugar and the lime leaves, if using.
- Spread mixture out onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes after the first 10 minutes. Remove from oven when coconut is deep golden brown, and pour mixture immediately into a bowl to prevent overcooking. Stir to combine, and set aside.
- Remove soup from heat. Remove lemongrass stalks from pot. Use a hand blender to purée soup. Alternatively, transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée. Taste and adjust for salt and curry paste. Add water or stock to thin soup to the desired consistency.
- Thinly slice the basil leaves and arrange on a small plate or platter, along with lime wedges and peanut mixture. Serve soup hot with garnishes.
Cheers everyone, and stay indoors!
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