Hot and Sour Soup with Chayote, Shrimp, and Mushrooms

Name: Hot and Sour Soup with Chayote, Shrimp, and Mushrooms
Yield: 6 servings as a first course
Cuisine: Indonesian
Ingredients: ½ pound small shrimp, rinsed; Rind of 1 small lemon; Thin, grassy top part of lemon-grass stalk; ½ teaspoon allspice berries (whole allspice); ½ teaspoon allspice berries (whole allspice); 2 garlic cloves, sliced; About 3 tablespoons Chinese oyster sauce (see Note); 5 cups water; 1 medium chayote (¾ pound), peeled and cut in ⅛-¼-inch dice (see Preparation); 6 ounces small mushrooms, sliced thin; About 2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste (see Note); About ¼ cup lemon juice; Cilantro leaves to taste

Preparation info

6
servings as a first course

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Uncommon Fruits & Vegetables

By Elizabeth Schneider

Published 1986

About

A snappy, tart broth thick with chayote, mushrooms, and shrimp, this soup of East Asian origin makes an unusual first course for a simple meal. The authentic versions are assertively hot and sour, but you can adjust the balance slowly to your taste.

Ingredients

½ pound small shrimp, rinsed
Rind of 1 small lemon

Australian
Asia
Americas
Oceania
New Zealand
India
United States
Indonesia
Mexico
Australia
Florida
French West Indies
Fish course
Starter
Pescatarian
Louisiana
North Africa
South East Asia
Central America
Spicy

Method

Peel shrimp; combine shells in a pot with lemon rind, optional lemon grass, allspice, garlic, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, and water. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes.
Strain shrimp broth, discarding solids. Return to the pot with the chayote; simmer until not quite tender, 5-6 minutes.
Devein and halve shrimp lengthwise; add to soup with mushrooms a