Heat oil on SAUTE mode in Instant Pot. Add red curry paste, ground ginger and garlic and chicken pieces. Saute for 30-45 seconds
Add broth, salt, fish sauce, cilantro and lemon grass and stir well. Cancel Saute and close the lid. Pressure cook on Manual/Pressure Cook for 5 minutes on high pressure (sealing position)
Once cooking time is done, manually release the pressure. Note: If your pot is too full, turn the knob half way between sealing and venting. This causes the pressure to release slowly and soup doesn't splash through the knob. Open lid after the pin drops.
Using long tongs or a fork, remove the cilantro bunch and lemongrass stalk.
Turn on Saute. Add rice noodles, Thai basil, veggies, coconut milk and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the noodles cook through. Add honey and squeeze in juice of half a lime. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve warm!
Stovetop recipe
Heat some oil in a heavy bottom soup pot or pasta pot on medium-high heat. Sauté the chicken pieces with red curry paste and crushed ginger and garlic. Then add chicken or vegetable broth, fish sauce, lemongrass, cilantro bunch and stir.
Bring everything to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover the pan and simmer everything for 15-20 minutes, or till chicken is cooked and tender.
Open the lid, add the rice noodles or zoodles (zucchini noodles), Thai basil, assorted veggies, coconut milk and stir everything. Cook for another 3-4 minutes till the noodles cook through. Add some honey and squeeze half a lime. Check for seasoning and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro leaves.
Video
Notes
Add the veggies after pressure cooking so they maintain a mild crunch and add a nice texture contrast to this creamy soup
This soup can be made with chicken, shrimp, or Tofu. For shrimp and tofu, add after pressure cooking and simmer for a few minutes. This prevents them from overcooking.
I use pad thai rice noodles for best results.
For the Low-carb option, skip the noodles or use zucchini noodles. Add them to the soup 2-3 minutes before you are ready to eat. This prevents them from turning mushy.
You can add more or fewer noodles based on your preference. You can also skip the noodles altogether and serve this with steamed Jasmine rice.
To freeze this soup, skip the noodles. Freeze in an air-tight container. Add the noodles when you are reheating them. You can re-heat it in the Instant Pot on Saute mode, or on the stove-top.
If doubling this soup and releasing pressure manually, turn the knob halfway between sealing and venting. This causes the pressure to release slowly and soup doesn't spray through the knob.
Note: The nutrition facts below are my estimates and include brown rice noodles. If you are following any diet plan, I recommend cross-checking with your preferred nutrition calculator.