Tom Yum Kung - (Hot and Spicy Shrimp Soup)

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of medium-size shrimp
• A dozen mushrooms of your choice
• 1 stalk of lemon grass
• 3 lime leaves
• 6 green peppercorns
• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce (or 4 tablespoons of soy sauce)
• 3 tablespoons of lime juice
• 6 hot peppers, pounded lightly (less, depending on taste)
• 4 cups of water
• 1/2 cup of roughly chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves

Preparation:

Remove the shrimp shell but leave the tails (for appearance). Then cut open the back of each shrimp to remove the veins. Clean the mushrooms with water and dry them well before cutting each into quarters. Trim root and tough layers from lemon grass. Thinly slice first six inches.

Bring water to boil, then add lemon grass, lime leaves, and shrimps. When the shrimps turn pink, add mushrooms, ginger, peppercorns, and salt. Remove the pot from heat after boiling. Add fish sauce, lime juice, and hot peppers to taste.

Serve the soup while still hot in individual soup cups and top each cup with a sprinkle of coriander.

Source: Asian Recipe