Thai Hot and Sour Mushroom Soup

with some vermicelli added

Ingredients

for the nam prik sauce: 4 Tbsp sunflower oil; 3 cloves garlic, chopped; 3 shallots, finely chopped; 2 large red chillies, chopped; 150ml water; 2 Tbsp sugar; 1 tsp salt
for the soup: 1l vegetable stock; 1 stick lemongrass, bruised, or equivalent from a jar; 5 kaffir lime leaves - recipe says torn, but I prefer whole; 2 Tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 2 Tbsp lemon juice; 250g mushrooms, recipe says oyster but I use whatever; 1 carrot, peeled and cut into julienne; 1 or 2 fresh red or green chillies, seeded and sliced
to garnish optional: fresh coriander leaves, chopped; bean shoots

to make nam prik. Heat the oil and fry the garlic over moderate heat till golden brown. Remove and reserve. Do the same with the shallots and then the chillies. Take all three and puree in a blender with the water till smooth. Return to same pan and fry the mixture, with the sugar and salt added, until it becomes a dark reddish brown.
to make soup. Pour the vegetable stock in a pan, add the nam prik sauce and the rest of the soup ingredients. Cover, bring to a boil and simmer gently for at least 10 minutes till the mushrooms are tender.
Serve garnished with coriander leaves and sprouts

Soup & Beyond New Covent Garden Soup Company