Big John's Tom Yum Soup

Big John's Note:

There are many different soups found in Thailand, made with all types of seafood, poultry and meats. The one thing they all have in common is that intriguing flavor that is simultaneously sour, salty and spicy. Thais call this flavor Yum. Yum is perhaps the most important flavor in Thai cooking. You may recognize the word "Yum" in Thai dishes like Yum Nuea (spicy beef salad) and of course tom yum soup. The ingredients that give us this magical combination are the basics of the Thai kitchen. Salt is rarely used; instead there is fish sauce (nam pla), a liquid made from salted fermented fish. It doesn't sound very appetizing, but it is indispensable in Thai cooking.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

THAI CHICKEN STOCK

• 1 chicken carcass
• 9 cups water
• 1 cup galangal, thinly sliced
• 6 stalks lemongrass, lower thick portion only, Pounded
• 10 kaffir lime leaves

SOUP

• 2 quarts thai chicken stock
• 1 cup shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 (15 ounce) cans straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed
• 8 Thai red chili peppers, roasted
• 6 tablespoons fish sauce
• 6 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons chili paste, In Soybean Oil
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 6 sprigs cilantro, garnish

Directions:

1. Place chicken carcass in stockpot Add water, galangal and lemon grass.
2. Roll lime leaves and crush lightly with hand, then add to pot.
3. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour. Strain.
4. Bring Thai Chicken Broth to simmer over medium-high heat in medium pot.
5. Add shrimp, mushrooms and chilies, cook until shrimp turns pink (about 1 minute).
6. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice and chile paste. Garnish with lime leaves and cilantro.