Tonight I made Thai spicy vegetable soup and it really turned out great. It took me a while to find all the ingredients (or reasonable substitutes) but it was quick to make and tasted wonderful so I thought I’d pass it on. So healthy, so delicious, inexpensive, and easy to make. I’m in love.

Spicy Vegetarian Thai Soup (4 servings)
4 cups of water
1 cube of vegetable bullion (Knorr)
2 stalks fresh lemon grass
3 slices of fresh galangal or ginger root
3 fresh kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon tamarind paste
2 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce
12 fresh Thai chile peppers -or- 2 medium sized jalapenos
1/2 small white onion cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tablespoons roasted chili paste (nam prik pao) or chili sauce in a pinch
1 16 ounce can straw mushrooms (drain and rinse)
2 stalks of celery
1 large carrot
1 small ripe tomato, cut into wedges ¼ inch thick
1 small lime
2 sprigs fresh cilantro

Preparation

Prepare lemon grass by trimming off the very end of the root and smashing it with the side of a cleaver of chef’s knife then cut into 1 inch pieces. Prepare galangal or ginger root by smashing it as well.  Cut onion into 1/4 inch slices. Cut tomato into wedges 1/4 inch thick. If using jalapenos cut them lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips. Drain and rinse straw mushrooms. Squeeze lime. Cut celery and carrot into 1/4 inch slices.

Cooking Instructions

Bring water and bullion to boil over high heat in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the lemon grass (in a strainer or boiling bag if you prefer not to eat the lemon grass or pick it out of the soup), galangal (or ginger), kaffir lime leaf, fish sauce and tamarind paste (break apart the tamarind paste with your fingers as you add it). Bring back to a boil and cook 3 minutes. Add the onion, chili paste, celery, carrot, and straw mushrooms. Boil for another 7 minutes or until vegetables have desired tenderness. Add the peppers and tomatoes. Turn off the heat. Add the lime juice. Taste to adjust the seasoning. Garnish with cilantro. You can add 1/2 inch cubes of tofu at this point if you like.