This is fun to make and very tasty! Thanks for sharing Leah!
process: i like to make the whole thing in a big cast iron!
-start sautéing the onion in ghee or peanut oil or sesame oil, whatever sounds fun, until golden brown
-while the onions cook, start prepping tofu! drain, then pour boiling water over tofu, then drain again and wrap in a kitchen towel and place under a pile of books. wait 10-20 mins, chop into small cubes and start sautéing in separate cast iron. i usually let them get super crispy in peanut oil before i add soy sauce and other spice. plenty of fun ways to marinate or cook differently, but definitely like to keep separate until serving time so it stays crispy!
- chop up allllll ur veggies during this time too!
-add all 3 curry pastes and the bay leaf to the onions. after 5 minutes or so of stirring the paste with the onions and letting them cook together i add in zucchini and mushrooms and any other veggies i want to get well cooked.(also a cinnamon stick or star anise if u want now!)
-after u add veggies, pour in coconut milks one at a time, and chicken broth slowly/bit by bit, (i usually switch up the order or do bit by bit to control burning of the paste, but also make sure the veggies get some good concentrated spice cooking before i get it too soupy! )
-add all your broth and milk and spice to taste! I let it get some good boiling time in once its fully soup, and sometimes add a bit of peanut butter, and a ton of limes, (usually 3 while its cooking, one or two when its fresh ingredient time)
- make noodles or rice!
- when 5 mins away from ready to serve, add the fresher veggies in, peas, carrots, spinach
-at serving time people can add in their own cucumber (love to keep it cold till the last second for a nice crunch!), more spinach and cilantro and lime, and tofu! i like to keep soup and noodles separate from noodles and rice but thats all preference!!
Once i freeze or keep extra i usually just combine them all, but its a fun little buffet for the first night!! I love curry soup, my ultimate comfort food! gonna have to make it today now! glad u like it!!
making a daikon radish quick pickle is a fun side dish too!