Tom Yum Kung (Hot & Sour Soup with Shrimp)

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon/15 ml peanut oil
20 uncooked medium shrimp with heads attached (about 12 ounces/350 g total), peeled and deveined, shells and heads reserved
3½ ounces/100 g galangal, peeled and thinly sliced
3½ ounces/100 g fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 stalks fresh lemongrass, thinly sliced crosswise
8 cups/2 liters fish stock or chicken stock
5 ounces/140 g oyster mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 green onions, thinly sliced crosswise
5 Thai chilies, very thinly sliced crosswise
5 kaffir lime leaves
3 tablespoons/45 ml Thai fish sauce
1 lime, juice only
4 sprigs fresh cilantro
2 sprigs fresh mint

Method:

Place a heavy-based large saucepan over a medium to high heat. Drizzle the peanut oil over the hot pan then add the reserved shrimp heads and shells.

Sauté and crush the shells and heads with a spoon for about 5 minutes or until the shells begin to stick to the pan. Add the galangal, ginger and half of the lemongrass and continue to cook 2 minutes longer.  Add the stock and stir to scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Boil the stock for 10 minutes.

Strain the stock through a fine-meshed strainer and into another large saucepan, discarding all the solids remaining in the strainer. Bring the shrimp broth to a gentle simmer over a medium heat. Add the remaining lemongrass, the mushrooms, green onions, chilies, kaffir lime leaves, Thai fish sauce and lime juice.

Simmer for 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender. Add the shrimp and continue to simmer for 1 to 2 minutes or just until the shrimp are firm and pink. Divide the soup among 4 serving bowls, garnish with the cilantro and mint leaves and serve.