Thai hot and sour soup

4 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
5 Stalks fresh lemongrass or 4 strips lemon zest
1 tablespoon Minced galangal OR ginger
4 cups Chicken stock
3 tablespoons Fish sauce
1 teaspoon Thai chili paste
1 Ripe tomato, eight wedges
1 Med onion, thinly sliced
2 Thai or jalapenos, sliced
4 ounces Fresh oriental mushrooms
8 ounces Shrimp, small
¼ cup Fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Scallions, thinly sliced
⅓ cup Cilantro leaves, fresh

Directions

Trim the top, bottom, and outer leaves of the lemongrass, using only the tender inner portions. Thinly slice the core on the diagonal.

Don't use dried lemongrass. Substitute instead the 4 strips of lemon zest and mince finely.

Combine the lemongrass, galangal chicken stock, fish sauce, and chili paste in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, mushrooms (quartered), chilies, and shrimp and simmer for another 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are firm and pink.

The soup can be prepared ahead to this stage.

Just before serving, pour in the lime juice, scallions, and cilantro.

Soup should be spicy and quite sour. Add more/less lime juice/chili paste for more/less tartness/hotness. Suggest to your guests that they eat around the lemongrass pieces.

Submitted By JOHN PERILLOUX On 10-29-95

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