Tom Yum-style hot and sour prawn soup

Ingredients

Stock

• 500 g raw king prawns, shells on
• 1.2 litres water
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed

Soup

• 4 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• 5 cm galangal, sliced thin
• 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 3 bird’s eye chillies, smashed
• 200 g oyster mushrooms or straw mushrooms
• 2 tbsp nam prik pao (Thai chilli paste)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 1 tsp sugar
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Method

1. Stock. Peel prawns, reserve shells. Heat oil in a pot. Fry shells + garlic 3 minutes. Add water, simmer 15 minutes. Strain.
2. Aromatics. Return stock to pot. Add lemongrass, galangal, lime leaves, chillies. Simmer 5 minutes.
3. Mushrooms. Add mushrooms, simmer 3 minutes.
4. Prawns. Add prawns, cook 2 minutes until pink.
5. Season. Stir in nam prik pao, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar. Taste — should be hot, sour, salty, sweet.
6. Serve. Topped with coriander.

Tips

• Lemongrass bruised, not chopped. Galangal sliced thin.
• Nam prik pao is the secret. Charred chilli paste = depth.
• Reserve prawn heads. Stock from the shells. Body, not water.