THAI STYLE QUINOA SOUP

Thai Style Quinoa Soup is a spicy, healthy and oil-free soup that is flavorful and a perfect companion on a winter afternoon. As most of you may already know, thai cuisine is one of my families favorite and have featured several thai recipes on this blog.

Lately, my husband and I are on a healthy diet and therefore we have consciously started eating low carb, fat-free, gluten free food. But healthy diet should not mean we compromise on tasty food. Yes, I have reduced the amount of salt that I add in my recipe and made it oil-free completely, but trust me you will never realize that this was meant to be a healthy food. For the next few days, I will post the recipes specially targeting for those who want to eat healthy and watch their weight. I have already kick-started with a sumptuous Black bean salad, so do check that out as well. Also check 27 health benefits of quinoa.

I have used quinoa in this recipe. Quinoa is a gluten free grain, and a good source of protein, fiber and iron. This grain can be used for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I have added my favorite veggies along with the quinoa in the recipe to balance the calorie intake, increase dietary fiber and make it nutritious. This is one complete meal for me.

Most thai preparations call for addition coconut milk. To keep the soup healthy, I have used relatively small quantity of coconut milk. I decided not to skip this because it enhances the flavor of the soup. So you can adjust the amount of coconut milk based on your preference. If you love seafood, then add your favorite fish. My family loves shrimp, so I have added it to the soup along with tofu. Check out the recipe below.

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Serves : 2

Ingredients for Thai Style Quinoa Soup

Quinoa - ⅔ cup
Carrot - ⅓ cup
Capsicum  - ⅓ cup
Green beans - ⅓ cup
Celery - ⅓ cup
Shitake mushroom - 4
Tofu chopped - 4 oz
Onion finely chopped - ½
Green chillies chopped  - 2
Garlic cloves chopped - 3
Lemongrass finely chopped - 1 tbsp
Ginger / Galangal grated - 1 tbsp
Worcestershire sauce - 1 teaspoon *
Soya Sauce - 1 tsp
Coconut milk - ⅓ cup
Water - approx 3 cups
Red chile powder - 1 tsp
Dried basil leaves - 1 tsp
Jaggery - ½ tsp
Bouillon cube - 1
Spring onion - 1
Coriander leaves - for garnish
Salt - to taste

Steps to prepare Thai Style Quinoa Soup

Step I

• I have finely chopped half of the carrot, celery, green beans, capsicum mentioned in the recipe to prepare the stalk and chopped the rest lengthwise to be added in Step III. If you prefer your veggies to be completely cooked and soft, then you can add all the veggies at this stage. I like some of my veggies to be crispy, which is why I add half portion towards the end.
• Dry roast the quinoa for 4 to 5  minutes on medium to medium-low flame, or until you get a good aroma.

Step II

• Add finely chopped onions in a pan and saute till it becomes soft. You can add a pinch of salt and sprinkle some water to help the onions saute faster.
• Add ginger, garlic, green chillies, lemon grass and saute for another one minute.
• Now add finely chopped carrot, celery, green beans, capsicum, shitake mushrooms, water and a bouillon cube and bring it to nice boil.

Step III

• Add the quinoa, coconut milk, soya sauce, worcestershire sauce, red chile powder, dried basil leaves and salt to taste. Cover and cook until quinoa becomes translucent and sprouts. It took me about 15 minutes.
• Now add the tofu and the remaining veggies that were chopped lengthwise and cook for 2 minutes. (If you are adding shrimp or any other fish, you may add it at this stage)
• Thai style quinoa soup is now ready. Garnish it with coriander leaves and spring onions. Serve hot and enjoy.

*I have used a vegan / vegetarian version of Worcestershire sauce. Make sure you check the ingredient list in the sauce before you use it.

Tip:

• Vary the amount of spices as per your taste.
• You can substitute dried basil leaves with fresh basil leaves and jaggery with brown sugar / sugar.