Vietnamese prawn pho broth
See, soup really needn't be boring! This one gives you a taste of the exotic for something a little bit different, with flavours of kaffir lime leaves, ginger and lemongrass.
(Serves 4)
Ingredients:
2 stems of lemongrass, trimmed and finely chopped2 tsp fresh root ginger, grated4 kaffir lime leaves, torn or roughly chopped1.5 litres (2 ½ pt) vegetable stock3 tbsp Thai fish sauceJuice of a lime180g uncooked king prawns50g bean sproutsFresh or dried basil leaves, mint, coriander and finely sliced red chilli to serve
Method:
Use a pestle and mortar to grind the lemongrass, ginger and kaffir lime leaves
Add the paste to a large saucepan with vegetable stock and boil for 10 minutes
Add fish sauce and lime juice, tasting to check for balance
Cook the prawns in the broth till they are pink, about 2-3 minutes
Add bean sprouts, plenty of herbs and red chilli to serve