Cookaholics Bulletin Board

As many of you know I like South East Asian cooking and some Asian as well. When we go to the local Thai Restaurant they serve a simple Lemongrass soup that I like quite a bit. It is simple a clear broth with a nice flavor and a few cut small Scallions. I don't even know what Lemongrass is or where besides an Asian Market you can purchase some.

Does anyone have information and a nice Lemongrass soup recipe?

Thanks,
Barry

Some grocery stores will carry it if the there is a large Asian population in the area.

Hi Barry,

There are soooooo many Asian soups with lemongrass, but I have ever made anything as plain as that (figures, doesn't it! LOL), so I checked out a site with a lot of recipes. Unfortunately, they didn't really have anything like that either.

Is there any meat in it, like just a few shreds of chicken or pork? It sounds like some simple Chinese soups I make, with some pork and various things for flavor - mushrooms, szechwan vegetable, etc. - and a good stock, and a hint of a light soy sauce, and a few scallion slices. Maybe it is like this, but with fish sauce in place of the soy, and lemongrass as a flavoring. For soups like this, the main flavor is in the stock, so you have to have a really good one.

Here is the best source I have found for lemongrass, for those who can't find it locally, and a great photo to help you see what it looks like, to see if you can find it. If you can find it, it freezes well - almost forever with a Foodsaver - so you can stock up on it. One of those things I use so much I found out how to grow it, and always have more than I can use!

Barry,

That Asian grocery store is the only place to go; the CO$T will be a fraction of any other source.

It's just like crystallized ginger: Asian grocery @ $4 per pound or chain store @ $15 per pound.

Tim

First off, Dave I am so happy to see you here, your my mentor for Asian cooking.

The soups I like is very stark, that is mostly broth but a wonderful broth, a couple of slices of Scallions, sometime it comes with a little bit of chicken(very little) which I give to my wife, I just want the broth. I am like that will all soups, all the junk in soups doesn't interest me, I like the broth and leave everything else. So this is the perfect kind of soup for me. Apparently lemon grass isn't really expensive on my places on the net. Once I get it, I don't really know what to do with it.

Thanks,
Barry

Barry,

A couple of those Chinese recipes to which I referred actually start with water, which sort of turns into a stock, when the small amount of meat is stir-fried then the pan is deglazed when the water is added. They start with 1/4 lb julienned meat - pork or dark chicken meat - which is marinated with 1 tsp light soy, 1 tsp sherry or rice wine, and 2 tsp cornstarch, which adds a small amount of body to the soup, but not really thickening. This is stir-fried in a tb of oil for one minute; various things are added with the pork - shredded bamboo shoots, Szechwan preserved vegetable, or various muchrooms, sometimes a slice or two of ginger - and just a tb of chopped scallions in the last ten seconds Then 4 or 5 c water is added, and 2 tsp more soy is added, then simmered briefly - only about 2 min. - then seasoning is adjusted. Some have a tsp of sesame oil added at the end, which adds a great flavor to these soups.

Using this for proportions, you could try 1/4 lb meat to 4 c water, and use 2 tsp fish sauce in place of the soy (you can always add some), and just a tb each of sliced scallions and lemongrass. For something like this, be sure to remove the very fibrous layers of the lemongrass - I would remove another layer or two from a normally cleaned stalk (using that for a dish where it is minced), then slice the inner layers. Start with 1 tb sliced lemongrass - if this seems weak, add some more, and simmer some more. It's easy to over season with this when it is the main flavor.

Another question about the soup you are trying to duplicate - is there any sweetness to it at all? Or a touch of sour? Many Thai soups have lime juice in them, plus a bit of sugar. But this can be added at the end.

Here is a starting idea for a simple recipe:

Mix together, and let marinate while preparing the rest of the ingredients:
1/4 lb shredded pork or dark chicken meat
1 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp cornstarch

1 tb oil
1 tb sliced scallions
1 tb sliced lemongrass (bruise this by placing the knife on top, and hitting it lightly - this releases the juices)
4 c water, or chicken broth
1 tsp fish sauce, plus more, to taste

Heat a wok or heavy saucepan over high heat; add oil, and heat until shimmering, about 30 sec. Add meat and SF 1 minute, adding the scallions and lemongrass for the last ten seconds. Add the water and fish sauce, stir to deglaze the pan, then simmer 2-3 min. Taste broth, and add more fish sauce to taste, if lemongrass seems weak, add another tb and simmer another few minutes. Taste again, and maybe add some sugar and lime juice, if it seems that is missing.

Let me know if you try this, and how it works out!

First I have to get some lemon grass, then I will try some of your recipes Dave, you have never let me down before, I am sure they are great. I ordered some lemon grass on line. I tried to guy it local and got nothing but blank stares.

Barry

My Lemon grass got shipped today, excited about trying to replicate that wonderful Thai Soup. I don't know if I know what it is about Thai cooking that makes it so special. Most of it is light, which I like I really don't like heavy dishes. I guess it is the complexity of flavors that really got me hooked on it about 25 years ago. We buy the packaged soup & noddles from Thai Kitchen which are quite good. We can only get them in Waterville, so when we got that way we pick up all they have. There are some very definite disadvantages to living in a rural area, but the good far outweighs the bad.

Barry

Barry, have you thought about asking the store where you buy it to get you cases? You might also get a discount that way. And then you are asssured when driving there that the product will be waiting.
You might have already explored this option, but it occured to me when reading your post.

Yes Jean, it is something we are talking about. They do sell them off their website very reasonable but the shipping will kill you.
Don't get me wrong, these soups are pretty good but no where near as good as fresh soup that we get at the Thai Restaurant nor as good as what I am going to make once I get all the right stuff.

Thanks,
Barry