There is no budget.

I don’t know about you but our internet bill went up 50%. And our health insurance jumped. And the car insurance increased by so much that my beyond-frugal husband switched it that night.

My stomach and emotions would also like our Thai and ramen spending to skyrocket bandwagon but apparently that has more to do with self-control than greedy corporations. But I digress.

Therefore I am trying to save myself from myself by trying some new recipes that will undoubtedly 1) not be as good as take out because nothing is (I am under no false notions) but still 2) take the edge off. Welcome to my life.

Here’s a Thai soup recipe I figured out from looking at a few different recipes and my pantry; I was decently excited for dinner. Good luck saving a buck!

Serves 4, or less, takes about 30 mins but flexible (this is how I cook…)

1/2 white onion chopped
3 T. Thai red curry powder
2 T. oil
1 T. fish sauce (light on the fishiness around here, you may prefer more)
3 T. fresh lime juice + extra lime wedges for garnish and IG pictures
3 lemongrass stalks sliced lengthwise once for easy removal, cut shortways just to fit in pot
1 can regular coconut milk (don’t even with the lite)
1 lb. chicken thighs, sliced thinly
3 c. chicken bone broth, or regular stock/broth
1 T. brown sugar
1 handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 red bell pepper thinly sliced (optional, I would abstain next go around)
1/2 c. chopped mushrooms (I didn’t try but want to next time)
1/2 serrano pepper chopped (optional)
2 pkg ramen noodles or 8 oz noodles of choice (if noodles desired at all), prepped al dente and just ready to heat in broth

Saute first 6 ingredients until onions softened. Lower heat and mix in coconut milk, simmer for 5 minutes. Add bone broth, sugar and chicken; bring to simmer and maintain lowest setting while simmering for 15 minutes. (This is a good time to start your rice if you want to add that to the bottom of your bowl or meal.) Start tasting, adding more lime, fish sauce, salt, sugar to taste. Add 1-2 c. water if broth becomes too concentrated, especially if adding noodles. 5 minutes before serving, add red pepper/mushrooms, serrano if desired, half of cilantro and noodles. Remove lemongrass stalks and serve with extra limes, cilantro, and that rice if you want. In great fear of mushy noodles, eat immediately.

(Unless your kid has a blowout diaper like mine did, right at that moment. In which case, you may still want takeout later. We tried our best.)

Let me know what changes you would or did make; I’m new to Thai soups and need to keep cooking!