Spicy Thai Soup with Shrimp

Allow Thailand's spicy spices to entice your taste buds! Tom Yum Soup is a quick, easy, and nutritious midweek meal. This brothy version includes shrimp!

Ingredients :

For the soup

• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 2 stalks lemongrass 

• 6 cups water or shrimp stock

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 thinly sliced Thai (bird's eye) chilies, or more to taste

• 1 lime, zested and juiced

• 1 cup sliced button mushrooms

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 2 teaspoons of soy sauce or fish sauce, plus additional to taste

To serve

• Cilantro leaves

• Lime wedges

STEPS :

     1. Prepare the shrimp and lemongrass :

Peel and devein shrimp if they haven't already been cleaned. (Shrimp shells can be used to make shrimp stock, which can be used in place of water in this recipe.)

To prepare the lemongrass, trim about 1 inch off the bottoms and around 5 inches from the sharp tops. After you trim it, it should be around a foot long. Remove the tough outer layers until you reach the sensitive yellowish core.

Squish the lemongrass gently with the back of a knife, then tie each stalk into a knot to reveal the many layers.

     2. Make the soup :

Fill a medium pot halfway with water or shrimp stock. Cover the saucepan with the lemongrass.

Over high heat in a big pot, bring the water to a boil. Add the garlic, chiles, lime zest, mushrooms, ginger, sugar, and soy sauce (or fish sauce) and bring to a simmer. 3 minutes in the oven.

     3. Cook the shrimp and adjust the seasoning :

The shrimp should be cooked for 3 minutes or until pink and opaque. Pour in the lime juice.

To adjust the heat, acidity, and saltiness, taste the soup and add more chiles, lime juice, and/or soy sauce as desired.

     4. Serve the soup :

Serve the soup in dishes with cilantro leaves, more sliced chilies, and lime wedges.