Category Archives: Soups

2 tbs tamarind concentrate
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 lb raw prawns, shelled & deveined
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup & 1 tsp fish sauce
freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs peanut oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 stalks lemongrass, white bulb crushed
1 large ripe tomato, cored, seeded and cut in wedges
2 tbs sugar
1/4 fresh pineapple cut in small chunks ¼ inch thick
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, drained & thinly sliced
1 tsp salt
2 Serrano chile peppers, minced
1/2 cup fresh beans sprouts
1 scallion, thinly sliced
2 tbs mint leaves, shredded

Dilute the tamarind concentrate with 1/4 cup warm water. Halve each prawn lengthwise. In a bowl combine the shrimp, garlic, 1 tsp of the fish sauce and pepper to taste. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the shallots and lemongrass and sauté briefly without browning. Add the tomatoes and sugar and cook over a medium heat until slightly soft. Add the pineapple and bamboo shoots and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil over a high heat. Stir in the tamarind water, salt and remaining fish sauce. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the prawns, chili and bean sprouts and cook for 30 seconds. Add the scallion and mint. Remove from the heat and discard the lemongrass. Ladle into a serving bowl and serve at once.

Add rice noodles to this soup to make it into a one-dish, comforting meal.

4 cups chicken stock (homemade, if possible)
1/4 lb shrimp, cleaned, deveined, finely minced
1 tbs finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground white pepper or black pepper
1/2 tsp salt (omit if using canned chicken stock)
small handful of cloud ear mushrooms
4 Chinese black mushrooms
1 packet (2-oz) bean thread noodles
1 tbs fish sauce (2 if you like fish sauce)
3 slender green onions, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tbs fried garlic in oil (see below)
small handful of fresh cilantro leaves

Soak the cloud ear mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and trim away any hard little navels, then slice the cloud ears into long thin strips. Set aside

Soak the black mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms from liquid. Cut off the tough stems and slice the mushrooms into 1/4 inch strips. Pour the mushroom soaking liquid into the stock. Set aside

Place the bean thread noodles in a bowl, cover with warm water and soak until softened, about 30 minutes.
In a small bowl combine shrimp, garlic, pepper and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a rolling boil over medium heat. Drop small clumps of the seasoned shrimp into the boiling stock. Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface as the meat cooks. Simmer for 2 minutes. Drain noodles and dump the tangle onto your cutting board. Cut through the pile of noodles crosswise and lengthwise. Add the noodles, cloud ear mushrooms and black mushrooms to the boiling soup. Stir in the fish sauce and green onions and remove from heat. Transfer to serving bowl and add a sprinkling of pepper, garlic, oil and cilantro leaves. Serve hot.

Serves 6

4-6 dried black mushrooms
4-6 pieces black fungus
¼ lb lean pork, cut in matchbook size pieces
5 tbs sherry
4 cups chicken broth
½ chicken breast, boned, skinned, cut in matchbook size pieces
½ cup sliced bamboo shoots, cut in matchbook size pieces
¼ lb extra firm tofu, cut in ½ inch cubes
1/4 cup rice or white wine vinegar
5 tbs light soy sauce
2 tbs tapioca starch
¼ cup cold water
1 tsp white pepper
2 tbl sesame oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 whole green onions cut in 1 inch diagonal slices
salt

Soak mushrooms in warm water 30 minutes. Cut off and discard stems. Thinly slice mushrooms. Reserve water for soup. Soak fungus in warm water 30 minutes. Drain. Pinch out hard center and cut fungus into thin strips. Combine pork with 1 tbs sherry. Combine chicken with 1 tbs sherry. Combine tapioca starch and water.

In a pot, heat chicken broth to boiling. Add mushrooms, fungus, pork, chicken and bamboo shoots. Stir several times, reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add tofu, soy sauce and vinegar, heat 1 minute uncovered. Blend tapioca starch and water. Add to soup and cook, until slightly thickened. Turn off heat, add white pepper and sesame oil. Stirring continuously, slowly pour egg into soup. Sprinkle with green onion. Serve.

Serves 4