Hot And Sour Fish Soup

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 quarts water or 1 1/2 quarts mild soup stock, salted with
• fish sauce, to the desired saltiness
• 1 lb trout (pan fried)
• 4 -5 stalks fresh lemongrass (dta-krai)
• 8 thin slices fresh ginger (kha)
• 4 -6 kaffir lime leaves, torn (bai ma-gkrood)
• 15 -20 whole thai chiles, stem removed and bruised with the back of a cleaver (prik kee noo)
• 1 small shallot, quartered and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
• 2 -3 tablespoons roasted chili paste (nahm prk pow)
• 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp, mixed with 1/2 cup of hot water, pulp removed (the tamarind is sold in blocks, use about 1 tbs.)
• 2 cups fresh brown button mushrooms, sliced in 1/4-inch pieces
• 2 small firm tomatoes, cut in small wedges (optional)
• 4 green onions, cut in thin rounds
• 2 -3 limes, juice of, to desired sourness
• 1/2-1 cup cilantro leaf

Recipe

• 1 cut the bottom tip off the lemon grass stalks and discard the loose outer layer(s). then cut the stalks an inch apart at a slanted angle all the way up to the greener end where the grass blades start, exposing the inner core.
• 2 smnash each piece with the side of a cleaver, or the end of a heavy handle to bruise, releasing the aromatic oils.
• 3 place the cut lemon grass along with the sliced ginger, kaffir lime leaves, and about 2 quarts of waqter in a soup pot. bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer with a lid on for about 20-30 minutes to draw out flavors. strain.
• 4 add the bruised whole thai chillies (or substitute0 and a slicd onion. simmer a couple of minutes.
• 5 add roasted chilli paste, tamarind jui9ce, and fresh brown mushrooms.
• 6 return to a boil and simmer a couple more minutes.
• 7 stir in the tomato wedges (if using), green onions and fish.
• 8 after 15-30 seconds, turn off heat, add lime juce to the desired sourness and the cilantro. serve immediately. do not let the fish overcook.