Clear Tom Yum Soup

Serves 4

1 pot of boiling water
3 fat garlic cloves, smashed
1 white onion, cut into wedges
1-2 large stalks spring onions, chopped and whites and greens separated
4 bunches coriander, roots and stems chopped, and leaves whole
4-5 slices ginger
3-4 kaffir lime leaves, roughly bruised or torn
1-2 stalks lemongrass, bashed and chopped into large chunks
3 large red chilis (and a few small chili padis, or birds eye chili for those who can take the heat)
1 - 2 tsp sugar
Soy or fish sauce to taste
1 chicken stock cube, or 2 dessert spoons chicken stock concentrate dissolved in some water
Juice of 1 lime or half a big lime
1 bowl of assorted mushrooms - oyster, shitake, enoki, straw etc
Use whatever meat you like, e.g fish, prawns, chicken, mussels, squid, or chicken. (I used prawns and crayfish in the picture above)

1. Bring water to the boil. Add garlic, white onion, stalks & roots of coriander, white parts of spring onions, ginger, lime leaves,lemongrass and red chilis. Boil for 10 mins.

2. Add the chicken stock cubes, sugar, soy/fish sauce, and lime. Taste and make sure there are the 4 Ss - Sweet, Sour, Salty and Spicy.

3. Add the mushrooms.

4. Add the meats that take longer to cook first. E.g chicken or mussels. Prawns and squid only take a minute or two in boiling water.

5. Serve with torn pieces of coriander and chopped green onion.

*Note: If you have clear home made chicken stock, all the better. Replace that with the water and chicken stock cube/concentrate.