The creamy, rich, and mildly spicy flavor of this soup makes it a great starter before Indian entrees like Crunchy Curried Shrimp or Fish (page 217) or Patra ni Machhi (page 231).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　3 tablespoons corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　1 small onion, chopped

　　One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　2 cups coconut milk, homemade (page 584) or canned

　　2 cups heavy cream or whole milk

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and cinnamon and cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds.

　　

Step 2

Pour in the coconut milk and cream and bring to a boil; immediately turn the heat to low and simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until the mixture thickens slightly.

　　

Step 3

Season with salt and pepper, garnish with the remaining cilantro, and serve hot.

　　

Coconut Soup with Clams and Shrimp

Step 4

As done on the Kerala coast of India: In step 1, add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, 1 tablespoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon ground coriander along with the cilantro and cinnamon. In step 2, after the soup has simmered for 15 minutes, add 2 dozen well-scrubbed small clams (or 4 dozen cockles) and 12 to 24 (depending on their size) peeled shrimp. Cook until the clams open, about 10 minutes.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.