I just returned from a lovely trip to beautiful Vancouver. Vancouver is a wonderful city with so much to see and do but I have to say the highlight of my trip wasn’t the sea safari, or the float plane, but the food. We enjoyed spectacular fish and seafood every day, often with an Asian flare. While I know that there was a lot more salt in the food that I ate than I would normally have I decided to share the soup below because it is a perfect example of a recipe that doesn’t need salt. When this soup was demonstrated at a chef day event at our hospital, it was probably the most popular soup we’d ever tried (with staff and patients alike). Don’t be afraid to be very generous with the fresh herbs and lime – they pack a punch of flavour.
Consider that a ½ cup serving of this soup provides only 37mg sodium compared to over 500mg from a commercial chicken soup.
Thai Fish & Rice Soup (yield 12 servings)
5 cups water (boiling)
2 frozen white fish fillets
1 cup chopped green onion
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup diced carrot*
1 cup diced celery
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2-3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
black pepper
lime juice
1 cup bean sprouts
1 cup cooked long grain rice
Dried chilies (if you like it spicy)
Sauté ginger, garlic, celery, and green onions in 1 tbsp oil. Add boiling water, fish, and carrots. Simmer until the fish is cooked. Season with black pepper and fresh herbs. Add the cooked rice and serve hot. Garnish with bean sprouts, more fresh herbs (to taste), and a generous squeeze of lime juice.
* If you require a potassium restriction bring the carrots to a boil in a separate pot prior to adding
1 portion = 1 protein choice, ½ starch choice
Variations:
- Try chopped red pepper in place of carrots for a low potassium colourful option
- Add shrimp to boost protein & flavour
Recipe developed by Chef Leslie Cairns