Hot and Sour Thai Soup: Tom Yum Goong

Ingredients

• 2 quarts chicken broth 
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce such as nam pla
• 1 handful cilantro leaves fresh chopped
• 1 inch galangal fresh sliced
• 2  green onions sliced
• 2  juice of lime juiced
• 4  kaffir lime leaves 
• 2 stalks lemongrass fresh sliced
• 2  chiles red sliced
• 1 pound shrimp with tails on peeled
• 8 ounce straw mushrooms rinsed halved canned
• 1.5 teaspoons sugar 

Equipment

• sauce pan

Directions

1. Bring the stock to the boil over medium heat in a saucepan.
2. Add the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and chiles. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.
3. Uncover and add the fish sauce, sugar, and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes. Toss in the shrimp and cook for about 8 minutes until they turn pink.
4. Remove from the heat and add the lime juice, green onions, and cilantro. Taste for salt and spices; you should have an equal balance of spicy, salty, and sour. It's a good idea to tell your guest's that the lemongrass and lime leaves are for flavor only and should be avoided when eating the soup.