Red Curry and Tilapia Soup

This may be my favorite soup I've ever had. Except for maybe a good Pho. Then it's a tie.

For this particular recipe, I used a time-saving pre-made red curry sauce. If you don't have that on-hand but you do have red curry paste and coconut milk, look to the recipe that inspired me http://www.food.com/recipe/thai-style-tilapia-with-coconut-curry-broth-217245, which was apparently inspired by http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ellie-krieger/thai-style-halibut-with-coconut-curry-broth-recipe.html Also, feel free to swap out vegetables and fish as desired and available.

Red Curry and Tilapia Soup

2 5oz tilapia fillets
1 tbsp canola oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2+ bell pepper, preferably yellow, orange, or red, chopped (you could do a hot pepper if you felt adventurous)
1 11 oz. bottle Trader Joe's Red Curry Sauce
1 cup chicken stock
5 cups raw spinach or baby greens such as kale and Swiss chard
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1-2 cups cooked brown rice, quinoa, millet or other similar grain
1/4 to 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro (optional, but delicious)
Salt to taste

1. Heat oil in soup pan or dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions and bell pepper and sweat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add tilapia, sauce, and stock. Bring to a low simmer and cook, covered, until tilapia is cooked through. Remove from heat and add half of the cilantro if desired.
3. Meanwhile, in another pan, steam the spinach and set aside. In the same pan, heat up peas to their desired doneness and set aside. (I prefer my peas less cooked so only cooked them for a couple of minutes.)
4. To serve the soup, place greens, peas, rice, and some fish in a bowl and ladle the [crazily delicious] broth over the top. Garnish with remaining cilantro. Alternatively, you could add all ingredients to the soup pot, break up the fish, and serve a ladle full at a time, but the first method is nice since everyone can customize their bowl, components are less likely to overcook, and it feels more fancy.

Enjoy!
Rosemary