Looking for Lemongrass Soup recipe

Buddy Time Around The World

Cindym · 01-10-2009, 06:13 PM

We have 2 neighborhood Thai restaurants and both have equally good lemongrass soups. I've never tried to make it, but I think it's time. The main thing is the broth ... after that it's just shrimp, mushrooms, cilantro, and chili oil.

Anyone have a recipe?

Greg · 01-11-2009, 04:57 AM

Hi Cindy,

I haven't made it before but I was just thinking about what flavors would be in the broth for a Thai lemongrass soup. So I can tell you how I might recreate the broth.

I would start with a chicken stock as a base. Then I would take a few cloves of garlic and just crush them with my knife and throw it in. I would take some fresh ginger and slice it and throw them into the stock. I would take some lemongrass stalks and split them in half and maybe bruise them with my knife and add that to the broth. Maybe 6 stalks depending on the size of the pot? Simmer this until you infuse the flavor of the lemongrass then strain all the ginger, garlic and lemongrass out. I would add a splash of some nuoc mam fish sauce. It smells atrocious in the bottle but you don't taste it that way. A little bit just adds a depth to the broth. When you assemble the soup I would also add fresh lime or lemon juice to brighten it up at the end. Of course fresh cilantro too.

Ah, I love the bright flavors of Thai food. Let me know how it turns out.

Marigene · 01-11-2009, 06:00 AM

Cindy, I checked the 3-4 Thai cookbooks I have and didn't come up with much of anything, but here is a soup that sounds delicious. If I could find the galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves I would make it. I have powdered galangal and lemongrass but not sure it would be that good in a soup. I hate living in an area that has no ethnic markets. I have to go to KC to find the few they have there, it is a pain.

Tom Yum Kung Recipe (Thai hot and sour shrimp soup) | Thailand | Whats4Eats

Cindym · 01-11-2009, 10:13 AM

Greg, that sounds about right.

Marigene, I don't think there's any galangal in it or Kaffir lime leaves, but I could be wrong. The recipe you linked is very similar to Tom Kha (coconut soup) ... that one I can make, although I sub lime zest for the Kaffir leaves. I've only found the dried version and that doesn't appeal. If you'd like me to try I'd be happy to send you some galangal and lemongrass. This time of year I think it should ship ok. (But let me know today cause the computer disappears for 2 weeks after midnight.

)

Greg · 01-11-2009, 11:50 AM

I am not a big fan of powdered galangal. It is a relative of ginger so I just substitute fresh ginger when I can't get galangal fresh. Ginger is a little stronger so I use less than what is called for for galangal. I'll second the lime zest substitute for Kaffir leaves. There is no substitute for lemongrass IMHO.

Cindy, two weeks? How can you survive?

Rosemary · 01-11-2009, 01:10 PM

Try doing a search here: Recipezaar - Recipe index with thousands of free recipes

There are wonderful recipes and they are rated.

Or, ALLRECIPES.COM

Marigene · 01-11-2009, 01:46 PM

Greg, I was thinking of using the powdered galangal instead of powdered ginger in a gingersnap recipe......what do you think?

Cindy, thanks for the offer but I will be going to KC next weekend so will pick some up then. I just hate living in this little berg where something like Italian parsley (tons of curly parsley, though) or mussels are "exotic"!

Cindym · 01-11-2009, 04:14 PM

Greg, it's funny how you adapt. It's been over 4 months since we had a home PC. Although I look forward to Mike coming home (with his laptop

) and being connected again, I really don't miss it while he's gone. I seem to be so much more productive. I do miss email, but I’ve learned to just pick up the phone instead. After some of the "drama" I've witnessed this past week online it’s actually a much healthier way of dealing with daily life.

Rosemary, Epicurious is another good site with reviews. I've found a few winners there.

Marigene, I grow both parsleys. I like the way the curly looks better. Taste is the same, you just have to be a little more careful with washing.

Rosemary · 01-14-2009, 08:32 AM

Yes, I like Epicurious as well. We're so fortunate to have all these sources available at our fingertips.

Cindym · 01-28-2009, 05:20 PM

Back online.

Marigene, I played with the recipe you posted. Flavor came close to what I'm familiar with. I used fresh ginger and galangal. Lime zest was my Kaffir leaf substitute. I used fresh mushrooms vs. the canned straw version.

I'm going to search a little more and give it another try.

01-10-2009, 06:13 PM	#1
Cindym Gardenbuddy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisiana Country: USA Plant Zone: 8b	Looking for Lemongrass Soup recipe We have 2 neighborhood Thai restaurants and both have equally good lemongrass soups. I've never tried to make it, but I think it's time. The main thing is the broth ... after that it's just shrimp, mushrooms, cilantro, and chili oil. Anyone have a recipe?

01-11-2009, 04:57 AM	#2
Greg Gardenbuddy Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: ND Country: USA Plant Zone: 4	Hi Cindy, I haven't made it before but I was just thinking about what flavors would be in the broth for a Thai lemongrass soup. So I can tell you how I might recreate the broth. I would start with a chicken stock as a base. Then I would take a few cloves of garlic and just crush them with my knife and throw it in. I would take some fresh ginger and slice it and throw them into the stock. I would take some lemongrass stalks and split them in half and maybe bruise them with my knife and add that to the broth. Maybe 6 stalks depending on the size of the pot? Simmer this until you infuse the flavor of the lemongrass then strain all the ginger, garlic and lemongrass out. I would add a splash of some nuoc mam fish sauce. It smells atrocious in the bottle but you don't taste it that way. A little bit just adds a depth to the broth. When you assemble the soup I would also add fresh lime or lemon juice to brighten it up at the end. Of course fresh cilantro too. Ah, I love the bright flavors of Thai food. Let me know how it turns out.

01-11-2009, 06:00 AM	#3
Marigene Gardenbuddy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: East Central Kansas Country: USA	Cindy, I checked the 3-4 Thai cookbooks I have and didn't come up with much of anything, but here is a soup that sounds delicious. If I could find the galangal, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves I would make it. I have powdered galangal and lemongrass but not sure it would be that good in a soup. I hate living in an area that has no ethnic markets. I have to go to KC to find the few they have there, it is a pain. Tom Yum Kung Recipe (Thai hot and sour shrimp soup) \| Thailand \| Whats4Eats

01-11-2009, 10:13 AM	#4
Cindym Gardenbuddy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisiana Country: USA Plant Zone: 8b	Greg, that sounds about right. Marigene, I don't think there's any galangal in it or Kaffir lime leaves, but I could be wrong. The recipe you linked is very similar to Tom Kha (coconut soup) ... that one I can make, although I sub lime zest for the Kaffir leaves. I've only found the dried version and that doesn't appeal. If you'd like me to try I'd be happy to send you some galangal and lemongrass. This time of year I think it should ship ok. (But let me know today cause the computer disappears for 2 weeks after midnight. )

01-11-2009, 11:50 AM	#5
Greg Gardenbuddy Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: ND Country: USA Plant Zone: 4	I am not a big fan of powdered galangal. It is a relative of ginger so I just substitute fresh ginger when I can't get galangal fresh. Ginger is a little stronger so I use less than what is called for for galangal. I'll second the lime zest substitute for Kaffir leaves. There is no substitute for lemongrass IMHO. Cindy, two weeks? How can you survive?

01-11-2009, 01:10 PM	#6
Rosemary Gardenbuddy Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New England Country: USA Plant Zone: 5	Try doing a search here: Recipezaar - Recipe index with thousands of free recipes There are wonderful recipes and they are rated. Or, ALLRECIPES.COM

01-11-2009, 01:46 PM	#7
Marigene Gardenbuddy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: East Central Kansas Country: USA	Greg, I was thinking of using the powdered galangal instead of powdered ginger in a gingersnap recipe......what do you think? Cindy, thanks for the offer but I will be going to KC next weekend so will pick some up then. I just hate living in this little berg where something like Italian parsley (tons of curly parsley, though) or mussels are "exotic"!

01-11-2009, 04:14 PM	#8
Cindym Gardenbuddy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisiana Country: USA Plant Zone: 8b	Greg, it's funny how you adapt. It's been over 4 months since we had a home PC. Although I look forward to Mike coming home (with his laptop ) and being connected again, I really don't miss it while he's gone. I seem to be so much more productive. I do miss email, but I’ve learned to just pick up the phone instead. After some of the "drama" I've witnessed this past week online it’s actually a much healthier way of dealing with daily life. Rosemary, Epicurious is another good site with reviews. I've found a few winners there. Marigene, I grow both parsleys. I like the way the curly looks better. Taste is the same, you just have to be a little more careful with washing.

01-14-2009, 08:32 AM	#9
Rosemary Gardenbuddy Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New England Country: USA Plant Zone: 5	Yes, I like Epicurious as well. We're so fortunate to have all these sources available at our fingertips.

01-28-2009, 05:20 PM	#10
Cindym Gardenbuddy Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Louisiana Country: USA Plant Zone: 8b	Back online. Marigene, I played with the recipe you posted. Flavor came close to what I'm familiar with. I used fresh ginger and galangal. Lime zest was my Kaffir leaf substitute. I used fresh mushrooms vs. the canned straw version. I'm going to search a little more and give it another try.