Thai Curry Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 pound rice noodles (pad thai noodles)
2 TBSP. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP. minced lemon grass
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 TBSP. and 1 tsp. red curry paste
2 (32 oz.) cartons chicken broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 TBSP. white sugar
2 (13.5 oz) cans reduced-fat coconut milk
1 cup peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 /2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 (5oz.) bag baby spinach leaves
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add rice noodles and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes.  Drain and rinse well with cold water to stop the cooking; set aside.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in garlic, lemon grass, and ginger;  cook and stir until aromatic, 30 to 60 seconds.  Add the curry paste, and cook 30 seconds more.  Pour in about 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, and stir until the curry paste has dissolved, then pour in the remaining chicken stock along with the soy sauce and sugar.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Stir in coconut milk, shrimp, mushrooms, spinach, lime juice, and cilantro.  Increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until the shrimp turns pink and are no longer translucent, about 5 minutes.

To serve, place some rice noodles into each serving bowl and ladle soup on top of them.  Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of sliced green onion.