Thai tom yum soup

• 400g (1 pound) fresh clams
• 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped and crushed with a heel of a knife
• 3 thick slices of galangal
• 2 birds eye chillies, crushed
• 3 kaffir lime leaves, bruised
• 1 tsp coconut oil
• ½ tsp hot chilli oil
• 5-6 fresh cup or oyster mushrooms, sliced thinly
• a small piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 nests of rice vermicelli noodles, soaked according to packet instructions

METHOD

1. Rinse the clams with cold water; discard the ones that won’t close when thrown into the sink. Bring about a cup of water to the boil in a saucepan with a lid. Throw the clams into the boiling water, cover with the lid and steam for 2 minutes, shaking the pan with the lid on once or twice. Lift the lid and check if all the shells have opened.

2. When they are cool enough to handle, scoop the clams from the shells and set aside. Discard the shells that haven’t opened.

3. Reserve the cooking broth in the pan. Add the lemongrass, galangal, chillies and kaffir lime leaves to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes.
In a small skillet melt the coconut oil with a few drops of hot oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook stirring until coloured and all the released moisture has absorbed back.

4. If you’re not bothered about the aromatics floating about in the soup, add the mushrooms straight into the broth; if you’d rather get rid of the lemongrass and all, strain it into a clean pan before adding the mushrooms to it.

5. Add the clams, ginger and fish sauce and check for seasoning; add more hot oil if necessary – it should be definitely on the hot side. Keep on the heat until piping hot but not boiling. Add the lime juice just before serving.

6. Place a small heap of noodles in a serving bowl and ladle in the soup; serve immediately.

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See also

thai fish stir fry

garlic clams

broccoli and stilton soup