Prep Time: 8 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 cups chicken broth - Serves 4 as an appetizer, or 2 for main entree (use vegetable broth if vegetarian)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb-size piece galangal or ginger, grated or finely sliced into matchstick-like pieces
- 2 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
- 1 Tbsp. fish sauce (or vegetarian fish sauce, available at most Asian stores)
- 1 tsp. chilli sauce, OR 1 fresh red or green chilli, minced (OR 1 tsp. dried chilli flakes)
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar (or substitute apple cider vinegar OR regular white vinegar)
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 kaffir lime leaves (frozen, fresh, or dried) OR 1 Tbsp. lime juice OR substitute lemon juice
- 2-3 eggs (If vegan, substitute 1 heaping tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp. water)
- 1-2 cups mixed shellfish (shrimp, squid, scallops), OR cooked chicken OR tofu/wheat gluten if vegetarian
- VEGETABLES (choose from the following, or add your own selection):
- 1 red or green bell pepper
- handful fresh or dried shiitake mushrooms (if dried, soak them in hot water for several hours)
- 1 cup Chinese cabbage such as bok choy, roughly chopped
- handful of fresh or frozen spinach
- bamboo shoot strips
- GARNISH:
- handful of fresh coriander OR fresh basil
- optional: Nam Prik Pao Chili Sauce (for my own homemade version, see link below)
Preparation:
- Heat broth in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, galangal or ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli, vinegar, brown sugar and lime leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium heat and allow to simmer while you add next ingredients.
- Add shellfish, chicken, tofu, or wheat gluten, plus the vegetables. Simmer 3-5 minutes, or until shellfish is cooked and/or vegetables are lightly cooked (but still on the crisp side).
- Crack eggs into a cup and lightly beat with a fork. Slide eggs into the soup and stir immediately several times (the eggs cook fast). Tip: If you want the egg finely shredded, stir rapidly. If you prefer larger "clouds" of floating egg whites, only stir once or twice clockwise.
- Do a taste test, adding more fish sauce or broth if not salty enough. For an extra kick of flavor and spice, add a tsp. or two of Thai chili sauce, either store-bought or my own homemade Nam Prik Pao Chili Sauce Recipe (optional). Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander or basil. Enjoy!
