Thai Lemongrass Soup Recipes

THAI LEMONGRASS AND CHILE SOUP (TOM YUM)

Steps:

• In medium saucepan, heat vegetable broth to a simmer with lemongrass and lime leaves if desired.
• In small skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Add garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring often, about 30 seconds.
• When broth has simmered for 5 minutes, remove lemongrass and lime leaves and discard.
• Add cooked garlic and ginger to broth.
• Return broth to a boil, and stir in chile paste and mushrooms.
• Cook until mushrooms have wilted, about 30 seconds, then stir in lime juice and fish sauce.
• Remove from heat, and ladle soup into small bowls along with your favorite rice noodles.
• Top each bowl with chopped tomatoes, cilantro and a pinch of hot green chiles if you want it really really spicy.
• Alternatively, tomatoes and chiles can be mixed together and placed in small serving bowl for people to help themselves (this way people can make it as spicy as they want).
• For Vegetarian/Vegan omit the fish sauce and use the soy.

SIMPLE THAI-STYLE LEMONGRASS SHRIMP SOUP

Steps:

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