vegetarian tom yum (spicy Thai) soup
Another favorite... serves 4-6 people. If you can't get lemongrass (or if the lemongrass sounds like a hassle) you can skip it, but it does add a wonderful, unique Thai flavor.
4 cups vegetable stock (I like the organic powders but canned College Inn Vegetable will do)
3 stalks lemongrass (if unavailable, a few extra squirts of lime juice would be OK)
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (use storebought in a pinch)
3 scallions
1 green jalapeno chili pepper
8 ounces (1 cake) firm tofu, cut into chunks
1 cup drained canned straw mushrooms or sliced fresh button mushrooms
2 tablespoons Chinese chili paste (or to taste)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil over medium heat.
Meanwhile, trim lemongrass stalks. Cut away and discard any hard, dried root portions, leaving a smooth, flat base just below the bulb. Trin away the tops, including any dried brown leaf potions; you should have stalks about 6 inches long, including the bulbous base. Using the blunt edge of a cleaver or heavy knife (or the side of an unopened can) bruise the stalks by whacking firmly at 2-inch intervals and rolling it over to bruise all sides. Cut bruised stalks into 2-inch lengths.
When stock is boiling, add lemongrass stalks and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the stock is fragrant and the lemongrass has faded from bright green to dull khaki. Takes about 5 minutes.
While soup simmers, combine the lime juice and the green onions in a serving bowl large enough to accommodate the soup. Remove the stem from the jalapeno and cut chili crosswise into thick rounds -- add some of these rounds to the serving bowl.
Scoop out the lemongrass from the stock and discard it. Raise the heat to high and add the tofu, mushrooms, chili paste, sugar, soy sauce, and stock and stir well. When the soup boils again, remove from the heat and pour into serving bowl. Stir and serve!![]()
4 cups vegetable stock (I like the organic powders but canned College Inn Vegetable will do)
3 stalks lemongrass (if unavailable, a few extra squirts of lime juice would be OK)
2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (use storebought in a pinch)
3 scallions
1 green jalapeno chili pepper
8 ounces (1 cake) firm tofu, cut into chunks
1 cup drained canned straw mushrooms or sliced fresh button mushrooms
2 tablespoons Chinese chili paste (or to taste)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil over medium heat.
Meanwhile, trim lemongrass stalks. Cut away and discard any hard, dried root portions, leaving a smooth, flat base just below the bulb. Trin away the tops, including any dried brown leaf potions; you should have stalks about 6 inches long, including the bulbous base. Using the blunt edge of a cleaver or heavy knife (or the side of an unopened can) bruise the stalks by whacking firmly at 2-inch intervals and rolling it over to bruise all sides. Cut bruised stalks into 2-inch lengths.
When stock is boiling, add lemongrass stalks and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until the stock is fragrant and the lemongrass has faded from bright green to dull khaki. Takes about 5 minutes.
While soup simmers, combine the lime juice and the green onions in a serving bowl large enough to accommodate the soup. Remove the stem from the jalapeno and cut chili crosswise into thick rounds -- add some of these rounds to the serving bowl.
Scoop out the lemongrass from the stock and discard it. Raise the heat to high and add the tofu, mushrooms, chili paste, sugar, soy sauce, and stock and stir well. When the soup boils again, remove from the heat and pour into serving bowl. Stir and serve!
