Tom Yum Kai (Spicy Thai Shrimp Soup)

These are very hot little firecrackers from the orient. They can be used to add spice to almost any oriental dish. They dry very easily and can be stored and used this way for a long time.

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Ingredients:

2 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
6 kafir lime leaves
juice of 4 limes
4 Thai chiles, stemmed and chopped
3 Tbsp. peeled and chopped fresh ginger
1 pound shrimp
1 stalk of lemongrass, the bottom 2″ are best
1 can of straw mushrooms
bunch of cilantro

Instructions:

Boil all the ingredients together except thehe shrimp. Chop the last third of the lemongrass into thin rounds before adding to the soup. Boil the ingredients for about 12 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Salt to taste.

Finally, drop in the shrimp and turn off the heat. Let the soup stand for 5 more minutes, the shrimp will cook. Remove the kaffir leaves. Serve the soup topped with freshly chopped cilantro.