TOM YUM KOONG
(Spicy Prawn Soup) - Serves: 6
Ingredients:
1 kg (2 Ib) raw prawns (head on if possible)
1 tablespoon oil
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups hot water
1 teaspoon salt
1 stalks lemon grass or 4 strips lemon rind, thinly peeled
4 lemon or other citrus leaves
4 fresh whole fresh Thai chilies
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)
20 straw mushrooms halved (or 12 medium button mushrooms quartered)
3 shallots peeled and quartered
2 fresh limes (juice of)
1 fresh whole fresh Thai chili per serving (remove stem)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves
4 spring onions (keep green tops), chopped
Method:
--- Shell and de-vein
prawns. Wash prawn heads well, drain thoroughly.
--- Heat oil in a saucepan
and fry heads and shells of prawns until they turn pink. Add salt, lemon
grass (or lemon rind), citrus leaves and 4-6 whole chilies. Continue to
stir fry for a couple of minutes.
--- Add hot water, bring to
the boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
--- Strain stock, add
mushrooms, shallots and remaining whole chilies, return to the boil then
add prawns. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until prawns are cooked. Add fish
sauce and lemon juice to taste. This soup should have a pronounced acid
flavour, so add sufficient lemon juice to achieve this.
--- Serve in a large
tureen or in soup plates, sprinkled coriander leaves and spring onions.
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