Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients

• Cilantro leaves (a handful, chopped for garnish)
• Salt (to taste)
• Sugar (1 teaspoon)
• Lime juice (2 tablespoons)
• Fish sauce (2 tablespoons)
• Thai chili peppers (2-3, whole)
• Kaffir lime leaves (3-4, torn)
• Galangal (2 inch piece, sliced)
• Lemongrass (1 stalk, crushed)
• Mushrooms (1 cup, sliced)
• Shrimp (1 cup, peeled and deveined)
• Water (4 cups)

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
2. Add the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chili peppers to the boiling water. Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes to release the flavors of the herbs.
3. Add the shrimp and mushrooms to the pot. Continue to simmer until the shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. This should take about 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
5. Before serving, remove the lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai chili peppers from the soup. These ingredients were used to infuse flavor and are generally not eaten.
6. Serve the soup hot, garnishing each bowl with a generous sprinkle of chopped cilantro leaves. Enjoy the warm, spicy, and tangy flavor of this traditional Thai dish!