Soup Phak

Name: Soup Phak (Thai Vegetable Soup)
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 8 baby corn cobs, cut into short lengths; 150 g fresh oyster mushrooms; 500 g sponge gourd, peeled and cut into short lengths; 1 carrot, peeled and cut into short lengths; ¼ cup (60 ml) fish sauce (nam pla); 4 bird’s eye chillies; 1 stalk lemongrass, ends trimmed and bruised; 20 g (⅔ oz) coriander roots, crushed; 40 g (1⅓ oz) shallots, peeled and crushed; 150 g dried prawns, soaked and drained; 5 white peppercorns; 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) chicken bones; salt, to taste; 10 shallots, peeled; 2.5-cm piece dried prawn paste (gapi); 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla); 10 white peppercorns; 1 tablespoon crisp-fried shallots; 6 cups (1.5 litres) water; 2 sprigs Thai sweet basil (bai horapa), leaves plucked

Thai Vegetable Soup

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Little Thai Cookbook

By Marshall Cavendish

Published 2014

About

Light soups such as this vegetable soup are often served in accompaniment to rich, heavy meals, as the Thais believe that they temper the heat from spicy dishes and cleanse the palate at the same time. Whatever the reason, it’s a good way to enjoy vegetables.

Ingredients

1 stalk lemongrass, ends trimmed and bruised
¼ cup (60 ml) fish sauce (nam pla)

Asia
Thailand
Soup
Gluten-free
South East Asia

Method

Prepare the chicken stock. Place all the ingredients in a stockpot and bring to the boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock and use as needed.
Prepare the spice paste. Using a mortar and pestle or blender, pound or process the ingredients into a fine paste.
Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a pot. Add the spice