It’s a darn good thing I started dinner early yesterday and The Hubby got home late from work, because I needed a LOT of time to sort through the rubble of that peanut-buttery mess I was trying to cook.

Everything seemed like it was going according to plan. I followed my recipe, and like I’ve been taught by the chefs, I tasted the end result to make sure it didn’t need anything else added — usually small tweaks with the seasoning.

So what did it taste like? Peanut butter. This recipe had all kinds of reviews swearing up and down that it didn’t taste like peanut butter. Nothing but a pack of vicious lies!

However, one thing that may have skewed my results is that my sense of smell and taste never came back down to earth after pregnancy. It’s entirely possible that my superpower sense of taste influenced my opinion of the recipe. But regardless, BLECCHHH! I like peanut butter, but come on. Just gross.

Anyway.

I had to pull out the big guns and make BIG changes. First I added a can of coconut milk and 2 tablespoons of curry powder and simmered for another 40 minutes. Definite improvement, but my vat of soup still needed a kick in the pants, so I added a 1/4 cup of rice vinegar. Much better!

I was afraid to say “good” because my taste buds were frightened after their ordeal. But when The Hubby arrived home, he assured me that it was indeed more than good. Delicious even. He is not one to blow smoke up kiesters, so I believed him. Then he had a second bowl, which slayed any lingering doubts.

Below is the new recipe. The Hubby and I are both hot sauce fanatics, so after serving we both added some salt and hot sauce for a little upward notch-kicking.

Thai Curried Peanut Soup Redemption
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: Who the hell knows after what I went through.
Servings: 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 lb. chopped chicken pieces
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup chopped onion
• ½ cup chopped carrots
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups mixed veggies (I used a bag of frozen veg)
• 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 can coconut milk
• ¼ cup rice vinegar

METHOD:

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil. Brown the chicken. Add the celery, onion, carrots, garlic, salt & pepper and sauté until soft.
2. Add the broth. Bring the soup to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium. Cook for about 10 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables. Simmer for about 8 minutes.
4. Add peanut butter, salt, and pepper; stir until peanut butter is fully blended. Simmer for 3 minutes longer.
5. Decide that you cannot possibly eat this swill. Debate giving your trash compactor a workout.
6. Whisk 2 tablespoons of curry powder into a bowl of coconut milk and add to the soup. [This would be an unnecessary step if you would have added the curry powder in step one, right before you added the broth. In step 2, I would have added the coconut milk along with the broth.]
7. Simmer for 40 minutes.
8. Add ¼ cup rice vinegar and stir well.
9. Serve. Allow guests to add more salt and some hot sauce if desired.

All’s well that ends well.