| Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 40 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 176 | 1g | 0.2g | 35g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 10g | 9g | 7g | 0.7g |
Why I Love Thai Sour Soup with Vegetables and Shiitake Mushrooms
When a lavish shellfish platter or delicate sushi roll seems excessively indulgent, I turn to heartier, humble fare to satiate my palette. Enter my trusty recipe for Sour Soup with Vegetables and Shiitake Mushrooms. There’s something inherently comforting about this dish that echoes with familiarity. Drawing from my background – flavor profiles from the Pacific Northwest fused with traditional Japanese accents – I’ve tailored this recipe to reflect a harmonious blend of both worlds. This soup captures the essence of an honest bowl packed with robust, vibrant flavors, a dish that might remind you of Miso Soup.
The Inspiration Behind the Recipe
In my culinary journey, I’ve taken inspiration from myriad sources, not least among them the venerable Chef David Chang. While this recipe is not a direct derivative of any single one of his stunning creations, his innovative approach to food, combining various cuisines and techniques, has inspired me to bring together the diverse elements of this Sour Soup with Vegetables and Shiitake Mushrooms. Like Chef Chang who mingles Korean techniques with Western ingredients, this dish blends the zingy character of traditional Thai flavors with the warm, earthy tang of shiitake – a versatile darling of Japanese cuisine.
Perfect Pairing
This soup, teeming with veggies and shiitakes, works brilliantly as a hearty main dish or a delightful starter. It flaunts enough depth and complexity to stand alone, yet it’s amicable enough to pair with other dishes. If you are seeking a recommendation, it serves as a fabulous precursor to Thai Beef with Basil or Pad Thai. Likewise, placing it alongside a bowl of simple steamed rice could turn out to be an absolute game-changer!
All in all, my love for this recipe lies in its versatility and the ease with which it marries diverse flavors. As with many soups, this one is mashup of flavors, a meeting place of different cultural heritages. With each spoonful, one can experience the enchantingly sour notes of Thai cuisine, the swathes of umami characteristic to Japanese culinary philosophy, and the familiar, stick-to-your-ribs warmth of a good ‘ol soup from the Pacific Northwest. Go ahead, try making your own Sour Soup with Vegetables and Shiitake Mushrooms – I promise it would reward you with a beautifully robust gastronomic experience!
What You’ll Need
- 8 cups of vegetable broth
- 2 stalks of lemongrass, bruised
- 4 slices of galangal
- 6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
- 3 red bird eye chilli peppers, sliced
- 2 cups of shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 cups of sliced cabbage
- 2 cups of sliced green beans
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup of lime juice
- 3 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/2 cup of freshly chopped cilantro
- Salt to taste
Method
Step One
Begin by bringing the vegetable broth to boil in a large pot. Add the bruised lemongrass stalks, galangal slices, torn kaffir lime leaves and sliced bird eye chilli peppers. Let these ingredients simmer for about 10 minutes for the flavors to blend in the broth.
Step Two
Next, add the mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cabbage and green beans to the pot. Stir well and let the vegetables cook until they become a bit tender, this should take around 10-15 minutes.
Step Three
While the vegetables are cooking, sauté the chopped onion and minced garlic in a small pan until they turn golden brown. Then, add the sautéed onions and garlic to the soup.
Step Four
Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar. Continue to simmer the soup for another 10 minutes so that all the flavors blend together properly.
Step Five
Finally, add salt to taste and garnish the soup with a handful of freshly chopped cilantro just before serving. Your Sour Soup with Vegetables and Shiitake Mushrooms is now ready to be enjoyed.
