We love the tom yum soup found at Thai restaurants, so much that we'd rather not have to drive 90 miles and pay $6 a bowl each time the mood strikes us. This soup isn't exactly like what our favorite Thai place serves, but it's pretty close! The ingredients -like shitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic, fresh herbs, onions, and lemongrass - are all proven to boost the immune system and fight infections. I'll take this over a flu shot any day!
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 onion, diced
1 pepper, diced, heat of your choice (I chose a low-medium heat pepper)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
10 shitake mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce (I used San-J Sachuan sauce, it's a spicy tamari)
2 carrots, sliced thinly on a diagonal
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh tomato
1 Tbsp sliced fresh lemongrass (optional if available)
1-2 Tbsp. red curry paste
6 cups water
1 1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
2 cups sliced baby spinach leaves
6 basil leaves, sliced thin
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Heat Dutch oven over medium heat. At sesame oil, onions, and pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, mushrooms, tamari and olive oil and cook until mushrooms become dark and tender. Add carrots, tomatoes, lemongrass, and curry paste. Stir well and cook until tomatoes begin to simmer out their juices. Add water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are just tender. Add spinach, basil, and cilantro, stir well, and let sit a moment before serving.
