Red Pepper Asparagus Soup - with a Thai touch

Story: Sometimes you can instantly identify with a movie character... for example.. I can totally identify with Samwise Gamgee (his love of food) of The Lord Of the Rings. No matter how grave the situation is.. Sam will always have a little something in his bag-pack. Or he will be busy cooking something on a fire - even if the fire puts his master Frodo at risk.. :-)

Most of all - Sam - just like me - loves versatile ingredients. Just look at the passion with which he talks about Po-Te-Toes



These days I am in love with roasted red peppers. Put them in salad with Avocado, or serve them as a topping for pasta and pizza - or - Boil'em, Mash'em, stick'em in a stew.. :-D

For a Thai touch - add red pepper, coconut milk and powdered roasted peanuts. I think Thai Basil will taste good as well.. will try that next time.. for now - we move on to the recipe..

Source: AshaCool kitchen

Time: 1 hour

Ingredients: for serving 4-6 people

• Purée of 3 roasted red peppers
  
• Purée of 4-6 steamed asparagus stems
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 tbsp powdered roasted peanuts
• 1/2 tsp thai red hot sauce
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
  
• Salt to taste
• Optional - for added flavor - you could float a bouquet garni of your favorite herbs and spices while boiling the soup. I used garam masala ingredients tied in a muslin cloth.
  

Recipe:

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a soup pan. Once the oil is hot, add asparagus purée and red pepper purée and saute for half a minute. Add Coconut milk and mix well for 1/2 minute. Add powdered roasted peanuts, ginger paste and hot sauce and mix well. Add salt to taste.

Add the bouquet garni at this point if you want. Cover the soup pan and let the soup simmer on low-medium heat for at least 15 minutes.

Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and coconut milk. This will go really well with Thai fried rice or noodles.