Thai Shrimp Noodle Butternut Squash Soup
 
 
Recipe type: Soup, Entree
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 7 oz bean threads (cellophane noodles)
  • ½ medium butternut squash (about 1 ½ lb for the half), seeded, peeled and chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 4 cups water
  • (Or substitute 5 cups store-bought squash soup plus 3 cups stock for squash, onion and stock/water)
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½ inch piece ginger root, peeled and grated
  • 3 Tbsp fish sauce
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 3 oz oyster mushrooms, tops and stems separated and coarsely chopped
  • 1 ½ lbs extra large (26/30 count) or jumbo shrimp (21/25 count), shelled and deveined
  • A bunch green onions, chopped, white parts and green parts separated.
  • Toasted white sesame seeds for garnish plus fresh cilantro leaves if desired.
Instructions
  1. Soak bean threads in hot water about 15 minutes until softened.
  2. Once soft, rinse well with cold water, drain, lay out on a board and cut into shorter lengths.
  3. Place in a bowl. (If you end up storing any of these for another meal, toss them with a little oil so they don't stick together before putting them in the fridge.)
Meanwhile:
  1. If making your own broth, add squash, onion, stock and water to a large pot, heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer about 15 - 20 minutes until squash is quite tender when pierced with a fork.
  2. Take off heat and use an immersion blender to puree mixture or pour in batches into a blender and puree. When finished blending, return puree to pot.
  3. If using store-bought soup, add your soup and water to a large pot.
  4. Add garlic, ginger, fish sauce, salt, white parts of green onions and chopped mushroom stems to pot.
  5. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
  6. Add mushroom tops and continue simmering 3 minutes.
  7. Add shrimp and simmer about another 2 minutes until shrimp are pink and just cooked.
  8. To serve place some noodles in each bowl, top with hot soup and garnish with green tops of green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro if desired.
Notes
If you make your own squash broth:
Preparation Time: 15 minutes, Cooking Time: 30 minutes, Total: 45 minutes

If you use store-bought squash soup:
Preparation Time: 5 minutes, Cooking Time: 10 minutes, Total: 15 minutes
Recipe by Savory Nature at http://savorynature.com/2014/03/20/thai-shrimp-noodle-butternut-squash-soup/