Thai Hot and Spicy Shrimp Soup

Recipe by: James Peterson | from Simply Shrimp: With 80 Globally Inspired Recipes

Cookstr

Course: Appetizer

Total Time: Under 30 Minutes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Moderate

Photo by: Joseph DeLeo

One of the great revelations of this soup is that once you’ve tracked down a few inexpensive ingredients, the soup can be put together in minutes and you don’t need broth. The ingredients are so flavorful that the soup can be made with water.

Yield: 6 first course servings

INGREDIENTS

6 cups water
2 small green or red Thai “bird” chiles or 4 jalapeno chiles
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 shallots, minced
2 ¼-inch-thick slices of galangal or fresh ginger
4 kaffir lime leaves, cut into fine shreds
1 stalk lemongrass, white soft part sliced very thin
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (deveining optional)
1 small bunch cilantro, large stems removed
¼ to ½ cup Thai fish sauce
Juice of 3 limes
Pepper to taste

Directions

Bring the water to a simmer and add the chiles, garlic, shallots, galangal, lime leaves, and lemongrass and simmer gently for 12 minutes. Add the shrimp, simmer for 1 minute, and add the cilantro, ¼ cup fish sauce, and lime juice. Simmer for 1 minute more. Season to taste with pepper. If the soup tastes like it needs salt, add fish sauce. it’s very salty and will contribute flavor. until the salt level is right. Serve in heated soup bowls.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Nutritional information is based on using 1/4 cup of fish sauce.

Calories 101kcal (5%)

Calcium 64mg (6%)

Vitamin C 14mg (24%)

Vitamin A 62mcg RAE (2%)

Potassium 277mg

Magnesium 58mg

Protein 17g

Sugar 1g

Fiber 0g