Thai Ginger Vegetable Noodle Soup

No need to call for Thai take out tonight! In just a few minutes you can have an authentic tasting Thai soup that is guaranteed to satisfy any craving for Thai food! Filled with fresh veggies, seasoned with fresh ginger, cilantro and lime, and finished with rice noodles….yes, Thai has arrived in your kitchen! Not familiar with fresh ginger? Available year around in the produce section of your grocery store, fresh ginger is a subtropical plant that is grown for it’s underground stem or nobby root, referred to as a rhizome. When selecting a piece of ginger, look for firm roots with “fingers” that feel heavy for their size. To use fresh ginger, you can break off a “finger” of ginger and carefully peel off the light brown skin using a vegetable peeler and then chop. Ginger adds zest to your recipe along with a spicy heat and releases mouth-watering aromatics while cooking. Trust me, you are going to love the “Swirls of Flavor” that will fill your home!

Thai Ginger Vegetable Noodle Soup

1 Tbs. oil
2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger*
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced, about 1 1/2 cups
2 ounces snow peas, trimmed and halved crosswise, 1 cup
1 red bell pepper, cut in matchsticks (2″ x 1/4″), 1 1/2 cups
1 cup shredded carrots
3 cans (14.5 oz. each) chicken or vegetable broth, 5 1/4 cups
4 ounces rice noodles
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. lime juice
2 scallions, sliced

1. Heat oil in saucepot over medium-high heat. Cook ginger, garlic and kosher salt until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add mushrooms, snow peas, red bell pepper and carrots. Cook until just tender, 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes.

4. Stir in rice noodles and cook until tender, 5-7 minutes.

5. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Serve with sliced scallions.

Makes 6 cups.

Although the flavor of fresh ginger and ground ginger can be very different…. if you must… you can substitute 1/4 tsp ground ginger for the 2 Tbs. fresh grated ginger in the recipe. But I strongly urge you to use fresh ginger….you won’t regret it!