Thai Green Tomato Soup

So many green tomatoes…

So I finally admitted defeat and pulled up all the blight-ridden tomato plants in my garden. I did get a few yellow and red ripe tomatoes from the plants this season, but now the plants are shriveling and blackening, under attack from fungal invaders.

Fortunately, the fruit is fine! I’ve already put up 8 half-pints of green tomato salsa, with still… more… tomatoes… left over. Someone at work gave me a recipe for Thai green tomato soup, source unknown. And while this soup was good as is, I tweaked it a little to fully showcase those Thai flavors I love.

Thai Green Tomato Soup

2 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T. green curry paste
1/2 t. ground cumin powder
3 cups chopped green tomatoes
3 cups peeled chopped potatoes
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1-2 T. brown sugar
1 T. chopped lemongrass
1/2 T. fish sauce
1 12 oz. can coconut milk

salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute 2-3 minutes. Add curry paste and cumin, and saute one minute more. Add garlic and lemongrass, saute one minute; add tomatoes and potatoes, saute 2-3 minutes. Pour stock over vegetables and increase heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Add can of coconut milk, brown sugar, and fish sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. Blend until creamy (or blend until you’re too lazy to go on and then mash with a potato masher). Serve garnished with basil or cilantro.