Chilled Thai-inspired pea soup with crab and radishes

Chilled soups aren’t traditional in this country, but during a brief summer heatwave there’s nothing else quite so refreshing. Served in small portions, this fragrant pea soup can feed a lot of people. If you’re going to do that, make more of the crab mixture. Requires chilling time Overview 20 mins 15 mins 8 or more Ingredients - 1 tbsp groundnut oil - 1 onion, finely chopped - 2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated - 2 green chillies, halved, deseeded and chopped - 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced - finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes - 650g frozen or fresh peas - 600ml vegetable or light chicken stock - 2 x 160ml cans coconut cream - 25g fresh coriander, very roughly chopped - 5 tbsp fish sauce, or as needed - caster sugar, if needed To serve - 150g white crabmeat - juice of 1 lime - ½ red and ½ green chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped - 2 tbsp coriander, chopped - 8 radishes, of mixed colours, cut into matchsticks Method Heat 1 tbsp groundnut oil in a heavy-based pan. Add 1 finely chopped onion and a little salt and cook over a low heat until the onion is softening, but isn’t coloured. Add 2.5cm peeled and grated piece of fresh ginger, 2 chopped green chillies and 2 finely sliced garlic cloves and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 more minutes. Add the finely grated zest of 2 limes, 650g frozen or fresh peas, 600ml vegetable or light chicken stock and 2 x 160ml cans coconut cream and bring to just under the boil. Turn down the heat, simmer for 3 minutes, then pour the soup into a cold container and leave it to cool. Once the soup has reached room temperature, purée with 25g roughly chopped fresh coriander in batches, using a blender ideally, as it gives a smoother result than a food processor. Add the juice of 2 limes and 5 tbsp fish sauce, then purée again. Taste for seasoning and, if needed, add more fish sauce, lime juice or even a tiny pinch of caster sugar (if needed) – you need to get a good balance of sweet and sour flavours. Chill the soup. To serve, mix 150g white crabmeat with the juice of 1 lime, the finely chopped ½ red and ½ green chilli, 2 tbsp chopped coriander and a little salt. Sprinkle some of the 8 radishes sliced into matchsticks on the top of each serving, then spoon some crab mixture on top. Serve.