THAI-SPICED WATERMELON SOUP WITH CRABMEAT

Thai-Spiced Watermelon Soup With Crabmeat image

This light, spicy soup is delicious hot or chilled. The sautéed aromatics turn the broth a rich red-orange, more reminiscent of tomato than watermelon. See if your guests can guess the main ingredient. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr (3 hr if serving chilled)

Categories Soup/Stew Appetizer Watermelon Crab Hot Pepper Summer Healthy Lemongrass Cilantro Gourmet Pescatarian Paleo Dairy Free Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added

Yield Makes 4 first-course servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

For soup
5 cups coarsely chopped seeded watermelon (from a 4-lb piece, rind discarded)
1 fresh lemongrass stalk*
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons mild olive oil
1 small hot green chile such as Thai or serrano, finely chopped (including seeds), or to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
For crab
10 oz jumbo lump crabmeat (2 cups), picked over
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons mild olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Accompaniment: lime wedges

Steps:

Make soup:
Purée watermelon in a blender until smooth and transfer to a bowl. (Don't wash blender.)
Discard 1 or 2 outer leaves of lemongrass and trim root end. Thinly slice lower 5 to 6 inches of stalk and then mince, discarding remainder.
Cook lemongrass, shallot, ginger, and garlic in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until aromatics are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add about one third of watermelon purée and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes.
Remove watermelon mixture from heat, then transfer to blender along with chile, lime juice, and salt and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).
Add remaining watermelon purée and blend briefly. Season soup with more chile, lime juice, and salt if desired, blending if necessary. Pour soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding any solids. Chill soup, uncovered, about 2 hours if serving cold, or reheat in cleaned saucepan.
Prepare crab:
Toss crabmeat with cilantro, oil, and salt.
Divide crab among 4 soup plates, mounding in center, and pour chilled or hot soup around it.

Comment
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Naml Fatima

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Do not waste your time with this recipe.

Kristin Dahms

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This was the worst soup I've ever had. The watermelon was bland and the crabmeat was tough.

Stella Muriuki

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This soup is a must-try for anyone who loves Thai food. It's a unique and delicious dish that's sure to impress your friends and family.

Cora Shubin

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I'm not a big fan of watermelon, but this soup was surprisingly good. The flavors were well-balanced and the soup was very refreshing.

Saiyful Saiyful

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This soup is a great way to use up leftover watermelon. It's also a healthy and delicious meal that's perfect for a hot summer day.

John Temesgen

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I was a bit skeptical about the watermelon in this soup, but it actually worked really well. The soup was light and refreshing, and the crabmeat added a nice savory flavor.

Sudip Bal

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This recipe was easy to follow and the soup turned out perfectly. I especially loved the balance of sweet and spicy flavors.

Rizwan Amin

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I love the vibrant color of this soup! It was a hit at my dinner party and everyone raved about the taste.

Dipendar Kumar

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This soup was a delightful surprise! The combination of watermelon, crabmeat, and Thai spices created a unique and flavorful dish that was both refreshing and satisfying.

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