Tom Yum Kung

Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup
Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat. Add the garlic, lime leaves, galangal, fish sauce, lemon grass, and shallots, then the mushrooms and chilli peppers, if using. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and reheat to boiling. Cook until the shrimps are pink, opaque, and firm but no longer than 1 minute. When the shrimps are cooked, place the lime juice and chilli paste in a serving bowl. Pour the soup into the bowl, stir, and garnish with cilantro leaves.

3 cups(24 fl oz/750ml) water or light chicken stock
8 oz(250 g) shrimps/prawns,shelled and divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 leaves kaffir lime leaves(bai-ma-krut)
3 slices fresh or dried galangal (Kha)
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)
2 stalks lemon grass / citronella (ta-krai), lower1/3 portion only, cut into 1-inch (2.3 cm) lengths
5 hot green Thai chilli peppers (phrik khi nu), optional
1/2 cup sliced straw mushrooms
1/4 cup(2 fl oz/60ml) lime juice
1 teaspoon roasted chilli paste (nam phrik pao)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro/coriander leaves(bai phak chi)