Sour & Spicy Prawn Soup - Tom Yam Koong

A beguilingly simple and attractive-looking soup with a clear stock base

Ingredient
Make 4 bowls

> 4 small green chillies
> 2 coriander roots and stems
> 600ml/1 pint/21¼2 cups chicken stock
> 12 thin slivers galangal
> 2 stems lemongrass, finely chopped
> 4 kaffir lime leaves
> 8 small button mushrooms, quartered

> 8 king prawns, shelled, deveined and headless but with tail attached
> 2tbsp fish sauce
> 11¼2tbsp lemon juice
> 1¼2tbsp Nam Prik Phao (see recipe on page 152)

For the garnish
fresh coriander leaves for sprinkling

In a mortar, crush the green chillies with the coriander roots and stems.

Heat the stock to boiling point in a saucepan. Add the galangal, lemongrass,
kaffir lime leaves and mushrooms and bring back to the boil.

Add the prawns, fish sauce, crushed chillies and coriander roots and stems,
lemon juice and Nam Prik Phao and simmer for 1 minute.

Serve hot in individual soup bowls, allowing 2 prawns per person.
Sprinkle with coriander leaves to serve.