This light, spicy soup is delicious hot or chilled. The sautéed aromatics turn the broth a rich red-orange, more reminiscent of tomato than watermelon. See if your guests can guess the main ingredient.
Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 hr (3 hr if serving chilled)
Ingredients
Makes 4 first-course servings
For soup
For crab
Make soup:
Step 1
Purée watermelon in a blender until smooth and transfer to a bowl. (Don't wash blender.)
Step 2
Discard 1 or 2 outer leaves of lemongrass and trim root end. Thinly slice lower 5 to 6 inches of stalk and then mince, discarding remainder.
Step 3
Cook lemongrass, shallot, ginger, and garlic in oil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until aromatics are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add about one third of watermelon purée and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes.
Step 4
Remove watermelon mixture from heat, then transfer to blender along with chile, lime juice, and salt and blend until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).
Step 5
Add remaining watermelon purée and blend briefly. Season soup with more chile, lime juice, and salt if desired, blending if necessary. Pour soup through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on and then discarding any solids. Chill soup, uncovered, about 2 hours if serving cold, or reheat in cleaned saucepan.
Prepare crab:
Step 6
Toss crabmeat with cilantro, oil, and salt.
Step 7
Divide crab among 4 soup plates, mounding in center, and pour chilled or hot soup around it.
• Soup can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Cover after 2 hours of chilling. • Crabmeat can be picked over 1 day ahead and crab mixture can be prepared 1 hour before serving. Chill, covered. *Available at Asian markets and some supermarkets.
How would you rate Thai-Spiced Watermelon Soup With Crabmeat?
Leave a Review
Reviews (69)
Back to TopThis watermelon soup was delicious! We substituted Coconut Meat for Crab Meat for a vegan meat option. The Coconut Meat picked up the surrounding flavors of the dish nicely and was a match to crab in texture.
CopraCo
NY, NY
3/12/2019
很神奇的。我用这个配方是多年来nd have never had any issues with it. I have substituted other melons when watermelons were not available. Use fresh, in season melons, don't try to make it in January.
Anonymous
California
7/21/2018
An exotic, healthy summer soup. This one isn't for everyone (because some people just don't get cold, sweeter soups). It really brought out the sweetness of the fresh crab meat.
steingld1
Santa Monica
6/15/2015
This was a great soup with a few fixes. First, it was way too thin, so I added a mango to thicken it up and give it more complexity. I also found that I needed to add some fish sauce and a small amount of sherry vinegar to round out the flavors. Serived cold it was really refreshing on a summer day.
steingld1
Santa Monica
7/14/2014
This soup is simply amazing. I added 2 mango's to the watermelon as a previous reviewer suggested. I also added 1 minced Serrano to the lemongrass ginger shallot mixture while sauteing, and another one when I pureed it. I did add additional lime juice and rice vinegar until I had the right taste balance. I also added diced mango and avocado to the crab with olive oil and sesame chili oil and put it in a 'tower' mold in the center of the soup bowl with lemon zest on top. End result, Fantastic!!!
Chazbro
Ventura CA
2/2/2014
I've made this 3x. Love it cold. Even more hot. Made it for a dinner party and it was a smash.
occupant
NY, NY
8/1/2013
delicious
lkruus
7/19/2013
delicious!
lkruus
7/19/2013
I had to make a few modifications. It's our first 100 degree day in Colorado, new house, and I could not find the box with the blender. But I was craving cold soup. So I made due with a rough puree with my manual food chopper. Food substitutes--No shallots, no cilantro,and ginger paste instead of fresh ginger. I modified the crab--skipping the cilantro, & instead, marinating the lump crab meat in lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of Cajun spices....YUM! We loved the contrast of smoky crab, acid & sweet. Kinda pulpy, but we loved it just as much......Just FYI--The soup was SPICY)!.......Future modifications--I will definitely make this again. I think a bit of yogurt sauce or sesame oil would add a nice texture. I would lessen the chile and find my blender! Otherwise--this is a hit!
mskladyofthehouse
Colorado Springs
6/11/2013
Wow, this was fantastic. The balance of the sweet watermelon, the heat of the serrano chile & bite of ginger was just great. I brought this to a "red food" dinner party and it was a definite hit. More than one person made me promise to share the recipe. This is definitely a keeper. I cannot to make it again & try some simple variations. I highly recommend this recipe.
Anonymous
scottsdale, az
4/28/2013
OK, good, but not great. Couldn't even give it a delicious. I made it to recipe and unfortunately my husband was underwhelmed. Perhaps some tweaking could help....which then would require another try. we'll see.
Anonymous
Dallas, TX
9/3/2012
Followed the recipe except I used about 2 teaspoons of garlic instead of a Tablespoon. It was not good. I had to force my self to take more that one bite. My husband could not finish either. It was lacking the clean refreshing flavors I love in Thai Cuisine. Pretty aweful.
smithli
6/20/2012
我做了这为复活节晚餐均nt (a stretch from my normal carrot soup variations). It was a huge hit. Everyone asked for the recipe! Straining it was key, but I loved it cold and, the next day, warmed up (just to see what it was like). Will absolutely do again and again. My new summer must-go-to recipe!
Anonymous
Toronto, Canada
5/7/2012
Wow, rarely have I disagreed so strongly with a well reviewed recipe. I used very sweet baby watermelon and maybe that's where the problem was but I found this not only not good but nauseating.
Anonymous
ny
12/12/2011
Okay, this is ridiculous. Ridiculously good and memorable. Fresh crab and lemongrass were not available, so subbed grilled shrimp (simply cooked, with olive oil, salt and pepper) and jarred sliced kaffir lime leaves; both worked beautifully. Can't imagine this hot; just seems unappetizing. Also, so you know, the consistency is thin, just like watermelon juice. Have learned from serving cold soups at dinner parties (LOVE cold soups) that some people just don't "get" cold soup, period, no matter how delicious. Will follow the advice of other reviewers and serve this cold, in Asian soup spoons, as an app.
eversince
Los Angeles, CA
8/18/2011
See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
-
36 Cold Soup Recipes to Keep You Cool This Summer
Whether you're craving classic Spanish gazpacho or an earthy-sweet bowl of blended beets, these cold soups are just the refreshment you're looking for. -
43 Ways to Cook With Lemongrass
Never quite sure what to do with those stalks you see at the supermarket? It's time to pick up a bunch and get cooking. -
Weird and Wild Watermelon Pairings
Feta and tomatoes are only the beginning.
