Hot & Sour Soup

The first time I had a hot and sour soup was in Ho Chi Min city in Vietnam. I still remember the addictive heat and fragrance. This simple Thai version doesn’t contain the tomato or pineapple often found in hot and sour soups, but it’s every bit as delicious, if not more so.

I love the idea of using fish sauce and water as an instant stock or soup base – a trick you can apply to non-thai dishes as well.

serves 2
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1-2 red chillies, finely sliced
2 kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons lime juice
8-12 large green prawns (shrimp), peeled & de-veined
coriander (cilantro) leaves, to serve

1. Bring 3 cups water to the boil in a medium saucepan with the fish sauce, chillies, lime leaves and lime juice. Simmer for a few minutes.

2. Add the prawns and simmer for another 1-2 minutes or until the prawns have just changed colour to opaque.

3. Taste. Season with more fish sauce or lime juice or some salt. Serve with coriander (cilantro) leaves on top.

leftover potential?

OK. Will keep in the fridge for a few days. But the prawns are best as fresh as possible. Can be frozen.

variations for fun

vegan / vegetarian – replace the prawns with mushrooms or chopped tofu. See below for fish sauce substitutes.

no fish sauce? – use vegetable, fish or chicken stock instead of the fish sauce + water.

noodle soup – cook rice or other noodles according to the packet and divide between 2 bowls. Top with the hot & sour soup.

different herbs – replace coriander with thai basil or vietnamese mint or regular basil or mint.

chicken soup – replace the prawns with 2 small chicken breasts or thigh fillets, finely sliced and replace fish sauce + water with chicken stock.

problem solving guide

too hot – use less chillies, or deseed them next time.

bland – use more fish sauce and/or lime juice.

can’t find kaffir lime leaves? – just use the zest of 1 lime instead.

prawns / shrimp rubbery or tough – a sure sign they’ve been overcooked. Next time watch them like a hawk and remove from the heat the very instant they change colour.