Tom Yum Goong - Hot and Sour Lemongrass Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This hot and sour lemongrass soup is arguably the most famous of those that come from Thailand. I make it several times a year on those occasions when I want to serve a light but filling meatless meal. You'll find it is surprisingly easy to make despite a seemingly endless list of ingredients. I have several versions of this soup and I was initially at odds as to which I would share with you tonight. I finally settled on this classic preparation which is an adaption of one that can be found on the Temple of Thai website. There are loads of shortcuts that can be taken when making this soup, but I think its important to know how the classic version tastes before over-simplifying the base recipe. Having said that, I have to admit that I've been known to use the shortcuts. If you find you enjoy this soup you might want to try one of the concentrated bases that are now available for Tom Yum Goong. It makes quick work of the tasks associated with the assembly of this soup. Most of the ingredients needed to make this soup can be found in any large grocery store. Only galangal and keffir lime leaves are problematic. If you can't find galangal use ginger and if you can't find keffir lime leaves bypass them and continue with the recipe. This is a lovely version of the soup, but if you'd like to try one that is easier to make give the one found here a try. Purists will love the recipe below.

Tom Yum Goong...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Temple of Thai

Ingredients:

4 cups of water or shrimp stock

2 (3-inch) stalks fresh lemongrass, trimmed, smashed and cut in 1-inch pieces

3 slices fresh galangal root, smashed

3 fresh kaffir lime leave

1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate

1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

3/4 pound fresh shrimps, shelled and de-veined, shells reserved for broth

2 medium sized jalepenos, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips.

1/2 small white onion, cut 1/4-inch slices

2 tablespoons roasted chili paste (nam prik pao)

1 (16-oz.) can straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed

1 small ripe tomato, cut into wedges 1/4-inch thick

1 small lime, squeezed

2 sprigs fresh cilantro

Directions:

1) Add shrimp shells to water. Bring to a boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove shells.

2) Add lemon grass, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, fish sauce and tamarind paste concentrate. Add shrimp, bring to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Add onion, nam prik pao and straw mushrooms. Boil for another 7 minutes until shrimp is cooked through. Add jalapenos and tomatoes. Turn off the heat.

3) Add lime juice. Taste to adjust seasoning, adding fish sauce to taste. Garnish with cilatantro if desired and serve. Yield 3 to 4 servings.