Hot and sour prawn soup
Wine recommendation:
Pinot Gris Les Princes Abbés 2015, Domaines Schlumberger (£16.90; cambridgewine.com) has the rich, rounded and slightly honeyed flavours of ripe greengages and quince, which are a delicious foil for this soup’s spicy tang.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Ingredients
Method
Step 1
Peel the prawns, keeping the shells. Clean the prawns by running a knife down the length of their backs and removing the thin digestive cord. Wash, pat dry and chill until needed.
Step 2
Set a large saucepan over a medium high heat. Add the oil, followed by the garlic, shallots and prawn shells. Stir-fry briskly until the shells turn pink. Add the chicken stock, lemongrass, lime leaves, lime peel and green chillies. Bring to the boil and skim off any scum, before covering the pan and reducing the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes then strain into a clean saucepan.
Step 3
Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients: separate the tatsoi leaves – discarding the toughest outside leaves. You need about 115g tender stems and leaves. Wash and finely slice both, then set aside. Remove the stalks from the shiitake mushrooms and finely slice. Place in a bowl with the trimmed and sliced oyster mushrooms or trimmed enoki mushrooms.
Step 4
When you are ready to serve, bring the stock up to the boil and add the peeled prawns and mushrooms. Once the liquid begins to tremble again, add the shredded tatsoi. Simmer briskly for 2 minutes, or until the prawns are pink, then reduce the heat and mix in the fish sauce and lime juice to taste. Transfer immediately to bowls, sprinkle with the coriander leaves and serve.
