Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp (Tom Yum Goong)

Ingredients

* 12 medium-size shrimps, deveined

* 10 mushrooms

* 1 stalk of lemon grass (lightly pounded and cut into 2" long)

* 3 kaffir lime leaves

* 3 tablespoons of fishsauce

* 3 tablespoons of lime juice

* 2 teaspoons of Thai Chilli Paste

* 6 Thai Chillis (pounded lightly, more or less is optional)

* 4 cups of seafood stock

* 1/2 cup of chopped cilantros

* 1/2 cup of chopped scallions

Preparations

1. Remove the shrimp shell but leave the tails (for good appearance). Then cut open the back of each shrimp to remove the veins. Also clean the mushrooms with water and dry them well before wedging each into quarters. 2. Bring stock to boil, then add lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, Thai Chillis and Thai Chilli Paste. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the shrimps. When the shrimps turn pink, add mushrooms. 3. Remove the pot from heat after boiling. Then season with fish sauce, and lime juice. Serve the soup while still hot and garnish on top with cilantros and scallions.