Tom Yum Soup

Vegetarian Mushroom Lemongrass Soup, or Tom Yum (tom yum het mangsawirat, ต้มยำเห็ดมังสะวิรัติ) is a vegetarian version of Thailand’s most popular soup. Tom Yum is very spicy and sour, and usually served scalding hot in a hotpot with a fire underneath. There are many different variations… This one is a clear vegetarian version with mushrooms and tomato.

Ingredients

* 3 cups water
* 1 :lemongrass: stalk, cut into 4" pieces and smashed
* 4-6 whole (double) torn :lime leaves:
* 3 slices :galangal: (about 1/2 teaspoon)
* 1/2 cube shittake flavor :knorr:
* 3-20 :small chilies:, to taste
* 2 cups mixed mushrooms (:straw mushrooms:, enoki mushrooms, :black mushrooms:, :oyster mushrooms:, wood ear mushrooms, etc.)
* 1 :tomato:, cut into 8 pieces lengthwise
* 2 tablespoons :white soy sauce:
* 1 teaspoon :white sugar:
* 3 tablespoons :lime: juice
* 1-2 stems :cilantro:, including roots

Directions

1. Add the water to a sauce pan. Crush the lemongrass and cilantro root in a stone mortar & pestle or with the butt of a knife, then add them to the water. Tear the lime leaves to release flavor, and throw them in too along with the galangal.
2. Turn on your heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. Boil your herbs for about 5 minutes or so, to release the flavors. The color of the water should be a light green when you’re finished.
3. Add the mushrooms, chilies and knorr cube. Boil for 2-3 more minutes, until mushrooms are soft.
4. Add the sliced tomato, and cook until soft, probably less than a minute.
5. Turn off the heat. Add your soy sauce, sugar, and at the very end the lime juice. Taste to make sure the flavor is right… It should be very sour & spicy. You may need to add more lime juice depending on how sour your limes are.
6. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with cilantro.



(from Real Thai Recipes. http://www.realthairecipes.com)