Hot & Sour Tom Yum Soup with Prawns

Turn up the heat with this fragrant Thai tom yum-style soup. The base is simple to make as it requires only a few aromatics to flavour the stock, and you can add any seafood you like. I used prawns. A light spring time soup for the change of season.

Ingredients

12 large green prawns, peeled, de-veined, tails intact

Coriander (optional) and lime cheeks, to serve

Broth

· 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock (the cubes are too salty so use real stock)

· 1 (or more to taste) Tablespoon of red curry paste OR

• 6 thin slices galangal

• 4 garlic cloves, bruised

• 4 red or golden shallots, cut into thin wedges

• 4 small red chillies (or to taste), halved lengthways

• 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, thickly sliced diagonally

· 2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped

· 6 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped

· 60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice

· 2 tbsp fish sauce (or to taste)

For hot-and-sour broth, bring stock, galangal, garlic, shallot and lemongrass to the boil in a saucepan. Reduce to medium heat and simmer until stock is well flavoured (at least 5 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and season to taste (broth should be a balance of hot, sour and salty).

Add prawns to broth and cook (1 minute), then simmer until prawns are just cooked (about 2 minutes). Divide soup among bowls and top with coriander. Serve with rice and lime on the side.