Thom Kaa Soup

I went to Thailand for Christmas this year with my son and we both really enjoyed sampling the gorgeous food out there. Since returning home I have been trying out some recipes and trying to recreate the delicious food we ate out there. This soup is based on one in the awesome Thai Food recipe book by David Thompson (p268; Chicken and Galangal Soup). Here, the chicken and galangal is substituted for seafood and ginger. If you don't eat fish, simply use fresh tofu cut into chunks instead of the seafood and use mushroom soya sauce instead of the fish sauce.

For 3-4 portions you need:
500ml veggie stock
1 can coconut milk
pinch salt
1 tsp palm sugar (or just use regular sugar)
3 stalks lemon grass, trimmed and then bashed with a pestle to release the juices
3 shallots, peeled and left whole
small handful coriander roots, finely chopped
4-5 bird's eye chillies, bruised (adjust to taste, I like mine HOT!)
10 slices peeled ginger (or galangal if you can find it)
3 kaffir lime leaves, left whole (use fresh if you can or dried if you can't)
250g raw tiger prawns
250g scallops
100g firm white fish
<substitute 500g tofu, cubed for the above if vegan/veggie>
2-3 tbsp fish sauce or mushroom soya sauce if you're veggie/vegan
juice of 1-2 limes (depending on taste)
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
3-4 mushrooms, thickly sliced


To serve:
additional bird's eye chillies, cut into thin slices
1 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
soya sauce
fish sauce/mushroom soya sauce

Place everything apart from the fish/seafood, mushrooms and lime juice in a pan and gently heat. Simmer very gently for 4-5 mins until the carrots are firm but beginning to soften. Add the fish/seafood (or tofu) and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 mins till everything is done. Take off the heat and season with lime juice and fish sauce/mushroom soya sauce.

Spoon the soup into bowls and serve with additional chillies and sauces to allow people to season to taste. It should be salty, sour, spicy and rich.