Beef Tom Yum Soup ต้มยำเนื้อเปื่อย.

Beef Tom Yum Soup ต้มยำเนื้อเปื่อย.

The best known Thai soup and one of the most renowned Thai foods, extremely popular within and outside Thailand. This soup is usually made with prawns or a combination of seafoods. The soup is wonderfully fragrant and has such depth of flavours and I think the slow braising method will only enhance its deliciousness, so I have done a stewing beef version. Gloriously hot, sour, spicy and inadvertently medicinal. This soup will cure and clear up autumnal colds. Perfect as part of a meal or spoon over some noodles and vegetables (not recommended as a starter as this is an intensely strong and pungent soup. Thai soups are normally eaten the same way as curries; with rice).

In a large stock pot, put in

-3 litres water,

-1 beef stock cube,

-1tsp sea salt,

-3tbsp fish sauce,

-6cm sliced galangal,

-3 sliced lemongrass,

-6-8 kaffir lime leaves,

-a small handful coriander,

-6-8 sliced red chillies,

-2tsp tamarind purée,

-4 tomatoes, quartered,

-2 sliced onions,

-4-5 cloves crushed garlic.

Bring up to the boil, add

-1kg beef skirt, cut into 3cm chunks.

Leave on a gentle simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until the beef is tender and melting, add

-250g sliced mushrooms.

Continue to cook until the mushrooms are done.

Taste and adjust the seasoning.

You may need more fish sauce or/and lime juice.

Stir through,

-1tbsp chilli oil,

-4 sliced spring onions,

-3tbsp chopped coriander.

Serve.