Hot And Sour Shrimp Soup

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 lb shiitake mushroom, stemmed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 thai chiles, minced
• 3 stalks fresh lemongrass, inner bulbs only, thinly sliced
• 1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup asian fish sauce
• 2 quarts chicken stock or 2 quarts low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup small basil leaves

Recipe

• 1 in a large, deep skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. add the shiitake and season with salt and pepper. cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until tender, 5 minutes. uncover and cook, stirring, until the shiitake are golden, 3 minutes. transfer to a plate.
• 2 add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. add the chiles, lemongrass, shrimp shells, onion and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and golden, about 7 minutes. add the fish sauce and stock and bring to a boil. simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes. strain the shrimp broth into a large bowl.
• 3 return the broth to the skillet; bring to a simmer over moderate heat. add the shrimp and shiitake and cook until the shrimp are pink and curled, 1 minute. add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the basil leaves and serve.