Good quality chicken stock – 2 cups (500 ml) (not the crap you get from stock cubes)

Fresh or frozen lemongrass (dried lemongrass sucks) – 1 fat stalk (or 2 thin ones)

Galangal – 1 tablespoon (fresh is preferable, dried will do in a pinch – soak dried in warm water prior to use)

Kaffir Lime Leaves – 2-3 (cut into slivers

(If you don’t have any of the above, Amazon ships a package of all the fresh ingredients you need for the soup.)

Nam Prik Pao (Thai roasted chilli paste) – 1-2 tsp (depends on how hot your brand of paste is)

Thai bird’s eye chillies (or Serrano chillies) – 4-5 (big slices so you can avoid them easily)

Fish sauce – 2 tbsp

Lime juice – 1 medium lime

Onion – 1/4 of a medium onion (sliced)

Sugar – 1/2 tsp

Coriander (cilantro for you Americans) leaves – 4 tbsp

Boneless chicken breast – 50 gm (chopped)

Straw mushrooms (or regular button mushrooms) – 4 (sliced)

Spring/Green onions – 3 tbsp (sliced thin)

HOW TO MAKE IT:

For the lemongrass, use only the bottom white part (about 6 inches) and discard the woody grass part of it. With the flat side of a cleaver or a heavy object, pound and bruise the lemongrass so it releases the flavour. Cut into 2 inch segments.

Put lemongrass, galangal, fish sauce and stock into a pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Uncover the pot and add the Kaffir lime leaves, chilies, onion, sugar and chicken pieces.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add Nam Prik Pao and mushrooms. Simmer for yet another 2 minutes. Now add the spring onions and let it simmer for 30 seconds.

Turn off the heat, add lime juice and garnish with coriander leaves. Test for saltiness and sourness. If required, adjust with more fish sauce (salt) and lemon juice (sour).

This makes a medium-hot bowl. Some prefer to have it spicier. Find your own comfort level. Remove the lemongrass and galangal before serving if you like. They’re not particularly edible. Good for colds, good for a whole lotta things. Your grandma’s chicken soup can’t hold a candle up to this one. :)

1 (850g) Snapper or Grouper Head
1 teaspoon Vinegar
1 liter Water
2 cm Galangal, bruised
3 stalks Lemon grass, bruised
4 cm Ginger, bruised
1/2 tablespoon Salt
200 g Tomatoes, each cut into 4-6 pieces
3 Spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths
8 Unpeeled shallots, roasted, peeled and thinly sliced
4 Red chilies, sliced
25 g Basil leaves
1 Lime, extract juiceMethod :

* Rub the fish head with 1 teaspoon vinegar and let it stand for 30 minutes.
* Wash and drain.
* Bring to the boil water with galangal, lemon grass and ginger. Then add salt.
* After a few minutes, add fish head, tomatoes, spring onions and shallots.
* Allow to simmer.
* When the ingredients are almost cooked, add sliced chilies and basil leaves.
* Simmer over low heat.
* Before removing from heat, season and add lime juice to taste.

** Note: You can add sugar if you like. If not fish head is available, use a whole fish.

10 – 15 fish balls
1 1/2 cup water
3 cloves garlic
2cm ginger (pounded)
1 dessertspoon (10g) unsaturated oil
1 cup (250g) ‘chye sim’ and beansprouts

Garnishing:

Spring onion
Fresh chinese parsley
Coriander

Nutrient Analysis (per serving):

Calories – 76 kcal
Total Fat – 3 g
Saturated Fat – 0 g
Cholesterol – 22 mg
Dietary Fibre – 0 g
Sodium – 453 mg

Method:

1. Heat oil in non-stick pan. Fry ginger and garlic until golden brown.
2. Add fishballs to 1 1/2 cup of water. Boil.
3. Wait until fish ball are cooked and add little salt.
4. Garnish and serve while it’s still hot. ;)

* 1 pound cubed beef stew meat
* 1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn, undrained
* 1 (15 ounce) can green beans
* 1 (15 ounce) can carrots with juice
* 1 (15 ounce) can sliced potatoes with juice
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 1 (1.25 ounce) package beef with onion soup mix
* salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Set slow cooker to low setting. Add the meat, corn, green beans, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, soup mix, and salt and pepper to taste to the slow cooker and stir together. Cook on low for at least 6 hours. Add water if necessary.

** Best serve with bread!! This is so delicious! ;)

* 4 c. of fresh sliced mushrooms
* 1 chopped onion
* 1 chopped stalk celery
* 5 c. of chicken broth
* 1/4 c. of uncooked white rice
* 3 tbsp. of soy sauce
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil

To Prepare:

1. In your wok, add olive oil over medium flame.
2. Saute your mushrooms, onion, celery, and carrots for around 10 min.
3. Now add your stock, rice and soy sauce.
4. Let this come to a boil then lower the flame to low for around 60 min.
5. Now take the mushrooms, onion, celery,and rice out of soup.
6. Blend this until creamy and add back to wok.
7. Season as desired and serve.

Chicken marinade:

1 whole baby chicken, chopped into 8 pieces, set aside the skin and fat trimmings
3 tbsp light soy sauce
a pinch of ground black pepper

Dry spices:

1 inch cinnamon
2 star anise
4 cloves
half tsp coriander seeds

Stir fry ingredients:

2 small onions coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1 inch root ginger, chopped into round tablets
a pinch of ground white pepper

Vegetable:

1 spring onions finely chopped, seperate the green and white parts
1 potato, peeled and cut into large dices
1 tomato, cut into 4 or 6 wedges
2 tbsp vegetable oil
water

Garnish – all optional:

3 fried shallots
2 chopped green chilli (the small variety e.g. bird-eye chilli)
celery leaves
coriander leaves (can be overpowering sometimes, beware)
lime cut

1. Marinade the chicken: in a mixing bowl, mix the chicken, soy sauce and ground pepper; set aside for 30 minutes.
2. In a separate pan, on medium heat, simmer the fat and skin trimmings in half a cup of water, if prefer add some salt, white part of the chopped spring onion and a little ginger.
3. In the meantime, on medium heat, heat the oil in a pan, pop the dry spices in and fry until fragrant.
4. Add the stir fry ingredients and fry until soft.
5. Add the chicken and fry until the flesh turns white.
6. Add the potato and tomato, and add water just the cover the whole thing.
7. By this time, the stock (see 2. above) will be ready, strain the stock into the pan. Throw away the fat trimmings etc.
8. Simmer on slow heat for another half hour. Don’t forget to cover the pan.

For garnishing, add the green part of the chopped spring onion and/or other optional garnishes. The garnishing ingredients, all or individually, are highly recommended. For the shallots, cut them into rings and stir fry in medium heat until golden brown or dark brown – they will add a sweet taste to your soup. I cannot recommend enough the green chilies, they add a special kick.

Oh, lastly, serve it with white rice, Basmati or Jasmine preferred.
This soup will taste better the next day, keeps well in fridge for 3/4 days.

1 each large bunch fresh coriander, and parsley
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup green or brown lentils
1 can (19 oz) chickpeas, drained, and rinsed
2 can (each 19 oz) tomato, drained, and chopped
2 onion, chopped
2 tsps cinnamon
1 tsp each ground cumin, ground ginger, turmeric, and pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Garnish
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 lemon, thinly sliced
12 pitted dates, halved Directions:

1. Chop 1/4 cup each of the coriander and parsley; set aside. Tie together remaining coriander and parsley and place in large saucepan. Add stock and bring to boil.

2. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard herb bundle. Add lentils; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Add chickpeas, tomatoes, onions, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, turmeric and pepper; cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

4. In food processor or blender, pure 3 cups of the soup. Return to pot and heat through. Stir in lemon juice, oil and reserved chopped herbs.

5. Garnish: Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon; top with lemon slices and dates.

6. A Traditional Soup eaten in Ramadan