Thai Coconut Lemon Grass Soup

Ingredients

Yield:

4

• • 1 stalk lemongrass
  • 6 slices gingerroot
  • 1 lime
  • 2 small red chilies
  • 3 cups water
  • 4 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic
  • 6 ounces tomatoes, cut into chunks
  • 4 ounces shitake mushroom, sliced
  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoon cilantro or chives

Preparation

Difficulty:

Easy

Time:

25 Minutes

 

1. 1. Cut off the dry end and a few top leaves off the lemongrass stem.
   2. Bruise the stem with the handle of the knife and cut into 1-inch long pieces.
   3. Reserve.
   4. Bruise the chilies, cut them in half, scoop out and discard the seeds.
   5. Reserve the chilies.
   6. Bring the water to boil.
   7. Add lemongrass, coconut milk and ginger, and squeeze out half the lime into the water.
   8. Boil 2-3 minutes.
   9. Add fish sauce and chili-garlic paste.
   10. Cook for another minute.
   11. Add tomatoes and mushrooms.
   12. Cook for 2-3 minutes (or longer, until it boils and the tomatoes start to fall apart).
   13. Squeeze the other half of the lime into the soup.
   14. Take off the heat.
   15. Add the chilies and let stand a few seconds.
   16. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
   17. Leave lemongrass, ginger and chilies in the soup and either try to pour the soup without them or better yet, pour the soup with chunks of lemongrass and ginger in it and warn your guests not to eat these.
   18. They do add flavor when left in the soup while you eat it.