Hot-and-Sour Prawn Soup with Lemon Grass recipe

4 servings

1 pound tiger prawns with shell

4 cups chicken stock

3 stalks lemon grass

3 tablespoons fish sauce

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

10 kaffir lime leaves, torn in half

1 cup straw mushrooms

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

4 red chile peppers, seeded and chopped

2 green onions, chopped

Shell and devein the prawns, reserving the shells.

Rinse the shells and place them in a large saucepan with the chicken stock.

Bruise the lemon grass stalks, and add them to the broth along with half of the lime leaves.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, and simmer gently until the lemon grass changes color, and the stock becomes fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Strain the stock and return to the saucepan.

Discard the solids.

Return the stock to a simmer, and add the mushrooms and prawns.

Cook until the prawns are pink.

Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, 2 tablespoons green onion, cilantro, red chilies, and remaining lime leaves.

Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

The soup should be sour, salty, spicy and hot.

Garnish with remaining green onions.