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Thai Curry Fish Soup

A close up of the Thai curry fish soup, served in a white shallow bowl.
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This Thai Curry Fish Soup is my kind of comfort cooking–bright, aromatic and deeply satisfying without being heavy. It brings together the creamy warmth of coconut milk, the gentle heat of Thai red curry paste, and all those classic aromatics–lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves and ginger–that make Thai food so fragrant. The broth simmers long enough to let those flavours meld beautifully, creating a base that’s both rich and refreshing.

  • Author: zenak
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 2 very hungry people 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the soup:
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, tough outer leaves removed
  • 4 fresh kaffir/makrut lime leaves, roughly torn
  • 25g fresh ginger, sliced
  • 1 heaped tbsp good-quality Thai red curry paste (see Notes)
  • 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk (regular or light, depending on how rich you want it)
  • 400ml stock (chicken, fish or vegetable)
  • ½ tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp palm sugar or light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 150g mushrooms (I use oyster mushrooms), halved or quartered if large
  • 150g sugar snap peas, halved or cut into thirds
  • chilli oil and lime wedges, to serve

For the fish:

  • 250g firm white fish fillets (cod, tilapia, halibut or snapper all work well)
  • ½ tbsp cornflour
  • ½ tbsp fish sauce

Instructions

  1. Use the flat side of a knife, rolling pin or pestle to bruise the lemongrass (this helps release all the flavour).
  2. Add it to a medium saucepan along with the lime leaves, ginger, curry paste, coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, sugar and turmeric. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-high heat.
  3. Once it starts to bubble, lower the heat, cover, and leave it to simmer for 25 minutes to allow the flavours to infuse.
  4. Meanwhile, slice the fish diagonally into 1cm-thick pieces.
  5. In a medium bowl, mix the cornflour and fish sauce, then add the fish and toss gently to coat. Marinate in the fridge for about 20 minutes. This process, known as velveting, helps the fish cook up silky and tender.
  6. Once the broth has simmered, remove the lemongrass, lime leaves and ginger using a slotted spoon or spider. Alternatively, you can strain the broth through a sieve into another saucepan, though it does mean extra washing up.
  7. Add the mushrooms and sugar snap peas to the soup, then increase the heat to medium. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender.
  8. Gently stir in the marinated fish and bring it back to a gentle simmer. The fish will cook through in 2 to 3 minutes and the broth will thicken slightly from the cornflour in the marinade.
  9. Remove from the heat and ladle into bowls. Drizzle with chilli oil (optionally) and serve with lime wedges on the side. I like it with steamed jasmine rice for a more substantial meal.

Notes

My favourite Thai curry paste brands are Mae Ploy and Thai Taste. Where possible, avoid using supermarket-own brands.

Find it online: https://zenaskitchen.com/thai-curry-fish-soup/

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