Thai Lemongrass Shrimp Soup

Thai Lemongrass Shrimp Soup, more traditionally known as Tom Yum Kung, is the first experience I ever had enjoying Thai food. It was the moment that I fell in love with fresh cilantro, lemongrass, fresh ginger and lime.

The lemongrass lends a deep citrusy aroma, the kaffir lime leaves and lime juice give it a pleasant sour quality, and the galanga root adds depth and tang. Adding fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime just before you dive in brightens up the whole thing!

I love the challenge of cooking with food I've never heard of or don't often use, so when I found a recipe for this soup that called for galanga root, tamarind, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, I just knew I had to make it. I remember the first time I tried it, I felt so adventurous adding a knob of galanga root to what sounded like voodoo brew.

Back then I had some difficulty locating everything on my shopping list. Luckily these days, I can find most things at Whole Foods Market. Or better yet, check out your local Asian market for seriously fresh and seriously cheap imported produce, not to mention an abundance of herbs you can barely pronounce. My favorite market is Super H Mart, but there are a zillion different choices in Northern VA.

My heart starts pounding the second I walk in the door and my nose takes in that unfamiliar smell. There's always so much to look at in quantities you won't find in "regular" grocery stores. You'll see varieties of eggplant you never knew existed, an entire row dedicated to rice noodles, and pay $2.99 for a 15 oz. can of Cafe du Monde. I could wander the aisles for hours! Needless to say, I usually have to do this ALONE on my day off since most of my friends aren't as excited as I am to stare at kim chee for 20 minutes. If you have yet to venture to your local Asian market, then I urge you to go AT ONCE! It is a total sensory experience.

This soup was my choice for last week's Soup Swap and I'm happy to say that it got snagged pretty quickly! One thing to note, I used a combination of vegetable and mushroom stock, which gave the soup a much darker colored broth. In the recipe posted below, I highly recommend using the seafood stock or the vegetable stock instead. I hope everyone who picked it at the swap enjoys it. I'd love to hear your comments!

Thai Lemongrass Shrimp Soup
(Tom Yum Kung)
serves 4

1 lb medium shrimp with shells on (and heads if possible)
1/4 cup lime juice
4 tsp Thai fish sauce
1/4 cup minced green chiles (or to taste)
2 Tbsp thin slices of fresh lemongrass
2 tsp minced lemongrass (from the tenderest part of the stalk)
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 qt vegetable or seafood stock
2 Tbsp dried kaffir lime leaves, crumbled
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro stems
2 heaping Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves
2 thick slices dried galanga root
2 thick slices fresh ginger root
2 medium shallots, coarsely chopped
2 tsp dried tamarind pulp
1/2 cup straw mushrooms or whatever you prefer (I like sliced creminis)
2 tsp minced scallion
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 Tbsp nam prik pao (optional--recipe below or you can buy a jar at an Asian market)

1. Shell the shrimp, reserving the shells (and heads if you have them) Devein and butterfly each shrimp. Place shrimp in a bowl, and mix with 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp of minced green chilies, and 1 tsp of minced lemongrass. Set aside in fridge to marinate.

2. Add vegetable oil to a soup pot over high heat. Add the shrimp shells and heads, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until the shells have started to brown. Immediately add the stock, 2 Tbsp of the minced chilies, 2 Tbsp of sliced lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, cilantro stems, galanga root, ginger root, shallots, and tamarind pulp. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Strain the soup into a clean pot over moderately high heat, pressing liquid out of the solids into a strainer. Add the remaining 2 Tbsp of lime juice, the remaining 2 tsp of fish sauce, the remaining 1 Tbsp of minced chili, the remaining lemongrass paste, the mushrooms, the fresh cilantro leaves, the minced scallion, and the tomatoes. Stir well.

4. Just before serving, add the shrimp along with the shrimp marinade. Warm until the shrimp are just cooked (about 30 seconds), and serve immediately. If desired, top the soup with nam prik pao.

Nam Prik Pao
(chili garlic jam)

Char 8 cloves of garlic, unpeeled, and 2 medium onions, unpeeled, in a heavy saute pan set over high heat. When skins are blackened, remove garlic and onions and let them cool. Peel and discard skins. Place a tablespoon of dried shrimp paste in a little packet of aluminum foil. Place in same pan, over high heat, and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Remove, cool, unwrap, and place shrimp paste in a food processor. Add garlic and onions, as well as 6 dried red chilies, 2 Tbsp ground dried shrimp, 3 Tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar), and 2 tsp of tamarind concentrate that have been softened with 2 Tbsp of hot water. Make a smooth paste in the processor, adding a little oil if necessary. Add a few Tbsp of vegetable oil to the original pan and fry chili jam over moderately high heat for 2 minutes. Cool and use.

Recipe adapted from The Dean and Deluca Cookbook by David Rosengarten

Spring (Cabbage) Roll Soup

It’s time to drag out and dust off the old commitment to “eat right and exercise.” Ha! Don’t worry, we’re not about to ditch cheese or bacon or anything else that makes great soup. I just thought I’d try something a tad "healthier" for this week’s recipe… and WOW, did it pay off.

I can't tell you how excited I am to post this soup!

It all started back in the seventh grade when I befriended a girl named Cindy. We’ve been tight ever since and while this is great for many reasons, you’re wondering what the heck does all this have to do with soup! You came to this site looking for a soup recipe after all. Well, our friendship, spanning more than 15 years, has been peppered with her mother’s delicious Vietnamese food… and you better believe that means Vietnamese spring rolls! They are so mouth-watering that I’ve seen individuals (who will remain anonymous) consume entire bricks (foil packages containing 15-20 rolls) in a single sitting! Believe me, when you get your hands on a bundle of these, the elation you feel is overwhelming.

So, this past week, I began researching the possibility of eating one of my favorite foods without feeling so... sinful. Before I knew it I had the perfect jumping off point from a book called Authentic Vietnamese Cooking. The trick is cabbage! Cabbage rolls are essentially spring rolls without the rice wrappers. You make your favorite filling and wrap it in cabbage instead! Cabbage is much more nutritious anyway. It’s filled with Vitamins E and C. It improves digestion! It even gives your immune system (not to mention your colon) a kick!

Now, I warn you, this soup takes a little more effort than throwing things in a pot to simmer for awhile. Make sure you have a little time to push up your sleeves and get crafty. Or better yet, grab a partner to help you. Fortunately, Margaret was eager and willing to help tuck and fold and before we knew it, we had about 20 rolls. It takes a little time, but the investment is so worth it. I can’t wait to make this one for Cindy and do an update that includes her mother’s spring roll filling.

Spring (Cabbage) Roll Soup
Serves 2-4

6-8 shitake mushrooms
1 head of cabbage
6-8 scallions
4 oz. lean ground pork (or if you don't eat pork, double the shrimp)
6 oz. shrimp (shelled, deveined)--or small frozen salad shrimp
2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
salt and pepper
6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1. Clean and mince the shitake mushrooms. Mince the white portion of the scallions and place in a bowl with the chopped shitakes. Leave the green tops of the scallions intact and set aside. You'll be using these to tie the cabbage rolls.

2. Halve the cabbage leaves lengthwise. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Over high heat, blanch the cabbage leaves until just tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove the cabbage leaves and run under cold water. Drain.

3. Blanch the green scallion tops in the same pot until just tender, about 1 minute. Rinse under cold water. Drain. Tear into 20 long strips. Remember ou want these to be long-enough to tie around the roll. Set aside.

4. Finely chop the shrimp. I used tiny salad shrimp here, so I could skip the chopping. Add the shrimp and the ground pork to the shitakes and scallions. Add the soy sauce and hoisin sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands to create a filling.

5. Place a teaspoon of the filling 1 inch from the wide or bottom edge of a cabbage leaf. Roll the cabbage leaf over the filling once, fold or tuck in the sides, and roll all the way to enclose the filling. Almost like you're wrapping the end of a gift. Take a green scallion strip and tie it around the around the bundle to secure the filling. No need to try to tie a complete knot. They should hold. Repeat the process until you have used all your cabbage leaves and scallion ties. There was leftover filling in my case, but I just threw it in the freezer to use next time.

6. Wash your hands. Pour the stock into a pot and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the cabbage rolls. Add cilantro leaves to the stock. Simmer on medium-low until the cabbage is tender and the filling is cooked. Serve garnished with cilantro leaves and enjoy!

Recipe modified from Authentic Vietnamese Cooking by Corinne Trang.