Who doesn’t love a hot bowl of homemade soup? There are so many different varieties to make, and whatever you choose is guaranteed to warm your home, body, and soul. That’s something especially important during a cold and snowy winter like the one we have had this year. Here at the Clay Coyote, we are all big fans of soup. Since I started here, it seems like somebody has brought soup for lunch nearly every day I have worked. Often times, that soup is shared, whether it is just a bite or a whole bowlful.

Recently, I learned about a great nonprofit organization called Soup Sisters that takes sharing soup to the next level. Based out of Canada, Soup Sisters was founded on March 3, 2009. Since then, they have made over 1.5 million servings of soup for victims of domestic violence. Each month, volunteers in 25 cities across Canada and the United States come together to make over 10,000 servings of homemade soup for those in crisis.

Each year, the anniversary of their founding is celebrated by a day of soup sharing called National Soup it Forward Day. On that day, the organization encourages people to bring homemade soup to a family member or a friend in need. Whether that means they are dealing with financial troubles, the loss of a loved one, or illness, bringing them a hearty, nourishing soup shows them you care and will lift their spirits.

To recognize this day, I want to share a recipe for you to try and encourage you to share it with friends or family.

This recipe comes from Andrea Jensen, who shared it with Betsy, who in turn shared a bowl with me earlier this week at lunch. It is recipe for a Thai soup called Tom Kha Gai. Made with coconut milk, chicken, and a great variety of veggies and seasonings, this soup is absolutely packed with flavor. You can see the recipe she used below.

Tom Kha Gai

• 3 (6) split, boneless chicken breasts, split again where wide and sliced
• 2 cans coconut milk (don’t use lite coconut milk)
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 small shallot, diced
• 5 dried lime leaves
• 1 medium-hot chili, minced
• 1 lime, peeled in strips, then quartered
• 1 more lime, quartered
• 2 inches fresh ginger, grated
• A few teaspoons green curry paste
• Handful of basil, shredded
• 1-2 cups diced tomatoes, drained
• 10 mushrooms, sliced
• ½ yellow pepper, slivered
• Handful of snow peas, sliced
• 3-4 carrots, sliced or julienned
• Handful of spinach, shredded
• Thin whole wheat Asian noodles, broken into short lengths (Santa Maria round squiggly noodles are recommended)
• Wasabi-sesame seasoning

Combine coconut milk, broth, shallot, lime leaves, chili, mushrooms and 1 teaspoon curry paste in stockpot. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add oil from lime peel, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, yellow pepper, carrots, snow peas, and noodles. Simmer 2-3 more minutes.

Add chicken and juice of peeled lime. Gently simmer 5-8 more minutes (beware of overcooking, but make sure your chicken is done). Help noodles separate if necessary.

Stir in shredded spinach, and adjust seasoning to taste with extra lime, grated ginger, and curry paste.

Garnish with basil and wasabi-sesame seasoning.

 

Betsy cooked this up in one of Clay Coyote’s Flameware Dutch Ovens, right on the stovetop. I’m sure the kitchen smelled amazing throughout the whole process, as even the small bowl I had was an aromatic treat.

Whether you try this recipe yourself or make one of your personal favorites, remember to share it with somebody in need this Sunday. Spread the word on social media by using the hashtags #HugInABowl and #SoupItForwardDay.

On top of it being National Soup it Forward Day, March 3rd. Stop in before  our Annual Dot Sale ends on March 9th and pick up a few soup bowls so you can share your soup in style!