Recipe: Lemongrass Soup with Shrimp, Tomato, and Straw Mushrooms

LEMONGRASS SOUP WITH SHRIMP, TOMATO, AND STRAW MUSHROOMS

"Called tom yum kung in Thailand or canh chua tom in Vietnam, this is the fiery, hot and sour soup of Southeast Asia. I have it in every Thai or Vietnamese restaurant I visit in hopes of re-creating the experience of one fragrant bowl I had on the Thai island of Phuket, sitting on the beach, watching the sunset as tears streamed down my cheeks. It was all very beautiful, but the tears were, in fact, from the chiles. Even so, I couldn't stop eating that soup. I offer a lighter Vietnamese version without the Thai additions of chili paste or !hard-to-get fresh galangal. This recipe is a simple, citrus-infused initiation into this classic soup. In Asia, the base is made from shrimp heads, which are rarely available here, so instead I use chicken stock flavored with shrimp shells. If you have dried lime leaves, this is a good use for them. Serve this before Thai Beef Salad or any grilled or roasted meat."

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on and shells reserved
4 1/2 cups unsalted homemade chicken stock
3 lemongrass stalks
4 kaffir lime leaves, or 2 strips of lime zest, julienned
1 (5 ounce) can straw mushrooms, drained
1 small tomato, sliced into small wedges
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 serrano chile, or more to taste, thinly sliced into rings
Freshly ground black pepper
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Put the shrimp shells and the chicken broth in a medium saucepan and boil for 5 minutes. Strain the broth and put it back in the pan.

Use only the bottom 6-inches of the lemongrass; chop off the green tops and the bulbous ends. Cut the stalks into 2-inch lengths and bruise them with the side of a wide knife, so that they remain intact but are somewhat flattened and release their fragrance.

Add the lemongrass, lime leaves, straw mushrooms, and tomato to the stock and simmer for 5 minutes.

Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, chile, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix. You can do this much up to an hour in advance; just turn the heat off and cover the pot on the stove.

Five minutes before you want to serve, heat the stock over medium-high heat; when it's hot, add the shrimp. As soon as they become pink and curl, 30 seconds to a minute, they are done. Quickly add the fish sauce mixture and stir to mix. Pour into a tureen and garnish with the cilantro sprigs. Serve at once.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Everyday Asian by Marnie Henricksson