Hot and Sour Beef with Turmeric Soup เนื้อต้มขมิ้น.

Hot and Sour Beef with Turmeric Soup เนื้อต้มขมิ้น

A hot, spicy and sour Southern Thai soup, normally made with aged free range farm chicken. The meat is left stewing for a period of time until tender and melting. This is an incredibly healthy and medicinal soup. Turmeric is a powerful medicine, which has long been used to treat a wide range of illnesses. Thai country folk, such as my family, would use grated turmeric to treat gastric related illnesses and would rub it on skin to heal bites and for beauty treatments. Turmeric is a powerhouse of staining and colouring, I hated being yellow for days on end, from head to toe. We were told it would give us beautiful (black?!?) hair and soft skin.

In a large saucepan, put in

-1.5 litres vegetable stock or water with vegetable stock cube,

-6cm sliced fresh turmeric,

-6cm sliced galangal,

-2 stalks lemongrass,

-3 cloves crushed garlic,

-4-5 sliced shallots,

-5-6 kaffir lime leaves,

-a small handful fresh coriander,

-3 tomatoes, halved,

-2tsp tamarind purée

-1tsp sea salt.

Bring up to the boil and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

Add 600g stewing beef, cut into 2-3cm chunks.

Cover with a lid and leave to simmer for about an hour or until the meat is tender and melting.

Add 3 sliced spring onions.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

You may need more fish sauce or lime juice for extra freshness.

Serve with rice.