Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients

• 12-15 medium prawns
• 2 fresh lemon grass stalks
• 15-20 fresh coriander stems
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 inch galangal, sliced   
• 8-10 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
• 3 inch lemongrass stalk, diagonally sliced 
• 2-3 red bird’s eye chillies, diagonally sliced 
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 7-8 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup coconut milk
• Lemon slices for garnish
• Slit red bird’s eye chillies for garnish
• Fresh coriander sprigs for garnish  

Method

1. Snip the heads of the prawns, peel the shell and keep the tail intact. Clean, devein and wash the prawns thoroughly. Reserve the shell and the heads. 
2. Coarsely crush lemongrass stalks with a steak hammer. Coarsely crush the coriander stems and garlic cloves similarly.
3. To make the stock, heat a deep cast iron pan, add the prawns shells and heads, crushed lemongrass stalks, coriander stems and garlic cloves. Add 7-8 cups water, galangal slices and 3-4 torn kaffir lime leaves. 
4. Bring the mixture to boil, lower the heat and discard the scum. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes. 
5. Switch the heat off and strain the stock through a muslin cloth kept over a sieve into a bowl.
6. For the soup, heat oil in a wok. Add Thai red paste, mix well and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add the stock and mix well and cook till the mixture comes to a boil.
7. Add sliced lemongrass, remaining kaffir lime leaves and red chillies, mix well and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes. 
8. Add the fish sauce and mushrooms and mix. Add prawns and salt, mix and cook for 3-4 minutes. 
9. Add lemon juice and mix well. Add coconut milk, mix and cook for 1-2 minutes. 
10. Transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with slit chillies, lemon slice and coriander sprig. Serve hot.