Tom Yum Paste (and soup)

Home­made Tom Yum Paste

(makes enough for soup to serve 4)

1 stalk lemon­grass, light­ly crushed, or zest of 1 lemon

1‑inch knob of gin­ger, peeled

2 cloves garlic

2 Kaf­fir lime leaves sliced thin­ly, or zest of 1 lime

1 tbsp Thai roast­ed chilli paste or chilli gar­lic sauce

Thai bird’s eye chill­ies, to taste

2 tbsps Thai fish sauce

juice of 1 lime

1 banana shal­lot, peeled and cut into chunks

pinch sug­ar

hand­ful coriander/cilantro with stems

Sim­ply place every­thing in your food proces­sor and process till as smooth as you can get it.  Dump it in a saucepan with a can of half-fat coconut milk and 2 cups/473ml water or stock (fish or chicken).

Now for the soup:

1 pound raw peeled shrimp, or chick­en breast thin­ly sliced on the bias

8 chest­nut mush­rooms, thin­ly sliced

1 bunch scallions/spring onions, thin­ly sliced both white and green part

chopped red hot chill­is to taste

hand­ful coriander/cilantro leaves, no stems

Bring the paste and milk mix­ture to a sim­mer and put in the shrimp and mush­rooms.  Sim­mer for just a cou­ple of min­utes until the shrimp are JUST cooked. Add every­thing else and serve hot.  Divine!