Spicy Thai Soup with Mushrooms, Tofu, and Red Chillies

This is a wonderfully aromatic soup with fresh flavors. It can be totally customized to your liking by adding whatever vegetable or protein you like. I love mushrooms and so they are the star of the dish but once you have the base of the soup ready any vegetable can be added to it. The heat from the red chillies, and the flavor of kaffir lime, lemon grass and galangal root will awaken your senses and even clear a sore throat. I really enjoyed this bowl of soup watching the snow on the trees instead of spring blossoms in the month of March. But I am not complaining!

I prepared the base first and kept the vegetables and tofu ready to add later. If you cook the vegetables along with the broth then the vegetables loose their color and crisp texture and I like my vegetables to have a little crunch in them. Except carrots which take time to cook I did not add any other vegetable early on.

Ingredients

5-6 cups vegetable broth

1 can lite coconut milk

vegetables of your choice ( I used mushrooms, broccoli, grated red cabbage and carrots)

cubed tofu or any other cooked protein

2-4 dry kaffir lime leaves (use fresh if available)

2 stalks of lemon grass (washed and smashed)

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 teaspoon galangal root (minced) 

thai red chillies 3-4 whole

1-2 teaspoons hot chilli paste

chilli oil to drizzle (optional)

1-2 tablespoon brown sugar 

salt and pepper to taste

fresh basil or cilantro leaves for garnish

Do not crush the lemon grass completely as it has to be removed before serving

If  you do not find kaffir lime and galangal use more basil leaves, it will still add to the flavor of the soup. 

Method

1. Pour the broth in a stock pot along with lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, garlic and salt.
2. Cover and let it boil for 5-10 minutes. 
3. Add sliced carrots and boil for a few more minutes. 
4. Turn off the heat and add soy sauce, coconut milk, chilli paste and sugar. Check seasoning and adjust accordingly. Tear a few basil leaves and add to the stock base.
5. Prep the rest of the vegetables and keep them aside
6. Just before serving remove the lemon grass stalk, and kafir lime leaves.
7. Add the sliced mushrooms, broccoli florets, grated cabbage, whole red chillies and tofu. Bring it to a boil and turn off the heat. Sprinkle pepper powder and drizzle with chilli oil.
8. Finally top with chopped basil or cilantro leaves.
9. Serve immediately.

Recipe source: http://thaifood.about.com/od/vegetarianthairecipes/r/vegtomyum.htm