Thai Coconut Soup

Thai Coconut Soup
Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 scallions thinly sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips
Two 15-ounce cans light coconut milk
1½ cups rice milk
3 ears of corn, cooked with the kernels sliced off or 1 16 ounce bag of frozen corn
2 teaspoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon Thai red curry paste, more or less to taste
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
½ cup minced fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:
Heat the oil in a small soup pot. Add the garlic, scallions (save some of the green for garnish), and the bell pepper. Sauté over medium-low heat until the veggies are soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk, rice milk, corn, and curry powder. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and remove from the heat. Pour into bowls and garnish with cilantro and green scallions pieces. Save any leftover soup and chill it overnight to use as a veggie dip the next day.