gourmet babble

Unlike the classic Thai coconut milk soup, tom kha, this is a Thai hot and sour soup with many of the same ingredients but no coconut milk and more heat. It, too, traditionally has a very highly salty component; usually moreso than tom kha. This turned out quite nicely, actually, and has very little sodium indeed (especially if you use your own homemade broth).

• 3-4 cups water and/or vegetable broth
• 2-8 mushrooms, whole, halved, or sliced
• 1-2 stalks lemon grass, cut into short lengths and bruised
• 1 in galangal, sliced
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 2-4 tbsp lime juice
• 4-8 sprigs cilantro, chopped
• 3-6 Thai chiles, bruised
• 0-2 Thai chiles, sliced
• 1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• 1/2 tsp Sucanat (optional)

Put liquid in pot on stove. Add chiles, lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime leaves, Sucanat, and curry paste; let boil for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp lime juice and mushrooms; reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked. Add lime juice and cilantro to taste and serve.