Curried Carrot & Noodle Soup and Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls

This menu is not difficult - but it does take more time than your typical weeknight meal.  However, the two dishes work great together - while the soup is simmering, you can prepare the spring rolls.


When my husband and I met, he took me to his favorite Vietnamese restaurant  and introduced me to fresh spring rolls with peanut sauce.  That's when I knew he was a keeper.  He won't eat green bean casserole or even stuffing, but he loves sushi and spring rolls!  For the thai peanut sauce, I go to our favorite Vietnamese restaurant and ask to buy their peanut sauce in a 1 pint container.  They are always happy to do so.


Our oldest daughter asked to make the spring rolls. So after watching me prepare one, she did the rest. I have to say she did a darn good job.  But the best part was she ate her shrimp spring roll and loved every bite. 


The soup has a kick of spice but it isn't overpowering. If you are looking for something more mild, add less red curry paste.  For our youngest daughter, I simmered the meatballs in the soup, removed a few meatballs and cut them up into pieces appropriate for her age.  The mild flavors absorbed into the meatballs but without all the spice. 


To make the process go a little faster, I boiled the ramen noodles in the Lock N Lock Speed Cook pot.  The water boils in less than 4 minutes and I don't ever have to measure the water because of the measure markers on the side of the pot.

Curried Carrot and Noodle Soup

Serves 8

4 packages (3 ounces each) ramen noodles

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons peanut oil

1 can (13.6 ounces) light coconut milk, divided

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

32 cooked meatballs  (1" diameter)

4 cups chicken broth

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 medium carrot, halved and sliced

2 teaspoons fish or soy sauce

Cook noodles according to package directions (discard seasoning packets or save for another use).

Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, sauté garlic in oil for 1 minute.  Spoon 1/2 cup cream from top of coconut milk and place in the pan. Add the curry paste, curry powder and turmeric; cook and stir for 5 minutes.

Stir in the meatballs, broth, zucchini, carrot, cabbage, fish sauce and remaining coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until carrot is tender and meatballs are heated through. Drain noodles; stir into soup.

Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls

Serves 8

24 medium shrimp (about 1/2 pound), peeled and deveined

Salt and pepper

3 ounces rice noodles (rice vermicelli)

Eight 7-inch rice paper wrappers

24 mint leaves

1 large carrot, shredded

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup jarred thai peanut sauce

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.  Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Arrange on the grill pan and cook, turning once, until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Let cool.  

In a pot of boiling, salted water, cook the rice noodles until tender, about 3 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water.

Fill a shallow bowl with warm water. Working with 1 rice paper wrapper at a time, soak a wrapper for 30 seconds and transfer to a work surface. Arrange 3 shrimp across the bottom third of the wrapper, top with 3 mint leaves, one-eighth of the noodles, about 1 tablespoon each carrot and green onions and 1/4 cup romaine. Fold in the sides and, starting from the bottom, roll up the rice paper. 

Cover with a damp paper towel and repeat to make 8 summer rolls. Cut in half diagonally and serve with the peanut sauce.