Spicy Seafood Soup
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound medium-sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
- 2 quarts fish or chicken stock
- 1 quart water
- 3 stalks lemongrass, peeled and chopped
- Zest of 1 lime, grated
- 6–8 kaffir lime leaves
- 10 (1/8 -inch-thick) slices fresh ginger
- 2 fresh serrano chilies, seeded and chopped
- 24 fresh mussels, cleaned
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- ¼ cup sliced green onions
- Salt
Instructions:
This soup is a Thai version of the French classic bouillabaisse.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add the shrimp shells and sauté until they turn bright pink. Add the stock, water, lemongrass, lime zest, lime leaves, ginger, and serrano chilies. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the broth into a clean soup pot.
- Bring the broth to a boil. Add the mussels, cover, and cook until the shells open, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the mussels, discarding any that have not opened. Remove the top shell of each mussel and discard. Set aside the mussels on the half shell.
- Add the shrimp to the boiling broth and cook until they are opaque, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- Add the mussels to the pot. Stir in the lime juice, fish sauce, cilantro, red pepper flakes, and green onions. Simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt.
- Serve immediately.