Unlike the viscous and peppery Chinese version of this soup on page 145, this one is brothlike and derives its heat from chiles and its intriguing sour flavor from lime and lemongrass. It’s the Southeast Asian equivalent of chicken soup, often eaten to treat a cold. See page 500 for information on nam pla.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 tablespoon corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil

　　2 garlic cloves, sliced

　　2 shallots, sliced

　　1 pound shrimp, peeled, shells reserved

　　6 cups fish or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 161 or 160), or water

　　3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, smashed, and cut into 2-inch lengths (page 143)

　　One 3-inch piece fresh galangal or ginger, sliced and smashed

　　4 fresh chiles, or to taste, preferably Thai, stemmed, seeded, and chopped, or hot red pepper flakes to taste

　　4 lime leaves, preferably fresh, minced

　　1 tablespoon grated lime zest

　　1 cup trimmed and sliced button mushrooms

　　1 cup fresh or canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained if canned,

　　2 tablespoons nam pla

　　1 tablespoons fresh lime juice

　　2 teaspoons sugar

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves or scallion for garnish

　　Lime wedges

　　

Step 1

Put the oil in a large saucepan and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the garlic and shallots and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the reserved shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink, about 2 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Add the stock, lemongrass, galangal, chiles, lime leaves, and lime zest; turn the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Carefully strain the stock; return it to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp and turn the heat to low; cook until the shrimp turn pink, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and bamboo shoots and simmer for another minute.

　　

Step 4

Remove from the heat and stir in the nam pla, lime juice, and sugar. Stir, taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish with cilantro or scallion and serve with the lime wedges.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.