Spicy Prawn Soup with Lemongrass (Tom Yum Goong)

One of the best known Thai dishes abroad, this flavorful but spicy soup is hot, sour and fragrant, an ideal accompaniment to other Thai dishes and rice. The kaffir lime leaves, galangal and lemon grass are what give this soup its tangy flavor, but are not meant to be eaten, so tell your guests to avoid them while eating the broth, prawns and mushrooms.

Ingregients

4 cups (1 litters) Thai Chicken Stock

3 kaffir lime leaves

2 in (5 cm) fresh galangal root, sliced

3-4 coriander roots,washed (optional)3

stems lemongrass, thick bottom part only, dry outer sheath discarded, smashed with back of a cleaver

6-8 medium prawns or shrimp, shells intact

1 cup(5 oz/150 g) fresh or canned straw mushrooms or small button mushrooms, sliced in half 5-10 bird's-eye chilies,smashed

3 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste

1/2 tablespoon fish sauce, ro to taste

3 sprigs fresh coriander leave (cilantro)
Preparation
1. Bring the stock to a boil and add kraffir lime leaves, galangal, coriander roots and lemongrass. Simmen for 15 minutes.

2. Add the prawns or shrimp, mushrooms and chilies, and chilies, and simmer for 3 minutes. Add the lime juice and fish sauce(which is very salty) to taste. The soup should be spicy-sour and a little salty. Serve garnished with fresh coriander leaves(cilantro)

Tips -- Do not over cook the prawns or they will become tough. Use homemade chicken stock in this dish for the best flavor. Any variety of seafood myay ve substituted for or added to the prawns ----- including sliced fish, crab

Preparation time: 10

minsCooking time: 30 mins