Thai Shrimp Soup

Ingredients

• 20 large shrimp (whole)
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 l poultry broth
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 carrots
• 3 cm ginger
• 3 cm galangal
• 2 stalks lemongrass (white and light green only)
• 1 red chili pepper
• 350 g water chestnuts (sliced)
• 1 tbsp red curry paste
• 1 tsp tamarind paste
• 4 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 tbsp light fish sauce

Instructions

1. 1.

   Clean the shrimp, removing flesh except for the tail segment. Score the back and remove the dark vein. Rinse shells and shrimp separately in a sieve and drain.

2. 2.

   Heat oil in a wok and lightly fry the shrimp shells with heads while stirring. Deglaze with 250 ml broth and simmer covered about 20 minutes over medium heat. Then strain through a fine sieve.

3. 3.

   Peel garlic, carrots, ginger, and galangal; cut carrots into pieces, slice ginger and galangal, finely chop garlic. Clean lemongrass and slice thinly. Wash chili pepper and slice into rings. Drain water chestnuts.

4. 4.

   Bring the soup back to a boil with remaining broth, stir in curry paste with some tamarind. Add garlic, carrots, ginger, galangal, lemongrass, chili, kaffir lime leaves, and water chestnuts; simmer gently for about 5 minutes. Place shrimp into the soup and let them cook at mild heat for about 5 minutes, do not boil.

5. 5.

   Season lightly with fish sauce and tamarind to taste.