Soupalooza: This Coconut Curry Ramen Soup will linger in your memory

Did you ever have a meal that lingers in your memory?

Maybe it’s your dad’s “famous” chicken cacciatore, or the time your mother-in-law baked you a coconut cream pie for your birthday, or the barbecued shrimp you had while on a trip with your sweetie to New Orleans.

It’s a dish you can almost taste — even years later.

Recently, I went on a highly anticipated yoga retreat to Costa Rica, and it was everything I hoped for: lush scenery, perfect weather, interesting travel companions and yoga by the pool twice a day. We even saw a few monkeys.

It was perfection — or pura vida, as the Costa Ricans like to say. Roughly translated, that means “pure life,” an appreciation for life’s simple pleasures.

Pura vida is the word I would use to describe the Coconut Curry Ramen Soup we had for dinner one night. We traveled with an amazing chef and wellness coach, so every meal was a delight. However, there was something about this soup that I kept going back to in my mind.

The curry spice hit all the notes — spicy but a tiny bit sweet. The coconut milk and almond butter gave it that luxurious mouthfeel. The veggies were perfectly roasted, the noodles were fun to slurp, and the cashews were satisfying to crunch.

It didn’t hurt that I was eating it under a starlit sky, surrounded by friends.

I re-created it at home, and it turned out yummy enough to rival the original such that I will add it to my soup rotation. Feel free to use whatever vegetables you have on hand, and you can easily substitute the types of nut butter or noodles you use. Also, make it as spicy as you like. This is a pretty foolproof recipe, no matter how you improvise.

All I can say is that this coconut curry ramen is pura vida in a bowl.

• M. Eileen Brown is the Daily Herald’s vice president of sales and marketing and an incurable soup-a-holic. She specializes in vegetarian soups and blogs at soupalooza.com/.

Coconut Curry Ramen Soup

4 large garlic cloves

8 ounces mushrooms (oyster or enoki are preferred)

3 cups diced vegetables (squash, sweet potato, broccoli, green beans, kale)

1-2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil

½ teaspoon pink salt

3 green onions + 2 to top

1 tablespoon curry powder

½ teaspoon pink salt

1 jalapeño or 1 teaspoon chili flakes

3 cups vegetable broth

1 cup full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon tamari

2-4 tablespoons chunky almond butter

8 ounces Soba noodles

Toppings: Toasted sesame seeds and cashews, lime wedges, sliced green onions (noted in count above) and bean sprouts to top

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mince one garlic clove, toss with the mushrooms and olive oil and salt. Roast on a sheet pan for 15-20 minutes.

On a separate sheet pan, toss the diced vegetables with olive oil and salt, roast for 15 minutes or until just fork tender and veggies still have texture to them.

Mince remaining garlic and jalapeño together. Slice three green onions. Lightly saute the garlic, jalapeño and onions in a spoonful of coconut milk or oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pan. Add the curry and salt.

Deglaze the Dutch oven or soup pan with ½ cup of broth. Add remaining broth and the coconut milk. Let simmer for 10 minutes to meld the flavors. Stir in the tamari and almond butter, ensuring the almond butter is well mixed. Use an immersion blender if desired. Squeeze in a lime wedge or two. Taste and adjust broth as desired.

Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions.

Fill each bowl with a portion of the noodles, roasted mushrooms and vegetables. Carefully ladle the hot broth into each bowl. Decorate bowls with toasted sesame seeds and cashews, sliced green onions and bean sprouts. Offer lime wedges on the side.

Serves 4

— From Monique Costello at happyeatshealthy.com