Cha-Am Sour Tamarind Soup Recipe

Cha-Am Sour Tamarind Soup Recipe

(Kaeng Som Cha-Am Recipe)

3 small dried red chilies

1 teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh lemon grass

2 medium-sized shallots

1 teaspoon shrimp paste (belachan)

Other ingredients:

600g medium-sized prawns shelled and de-veined or sea perch

800g fresh green vegetables (eg. yard-long beans, cabbage, cauliflower, Chinese cabbage)

4½ cups chicken stock or water

4 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)

2 tablespoons sugar

5 tablespoons tamarind juice

Method:

Into a blender put the dried chilies, salt, lemon grass, shallots, shrimp paste and a little of the chicken stock and blend well.  Into a pot pour the remaining chicken stock, add the blended ingredients, and heat to a boil.  Next, add sugar, fish sauce and tamarind juice to taste.  If not sour enough, add more tamarind juice.  Then, add the prawns or the fish and the vegetables.  Do not overcook.  Serve hot.