Dan’s Fresh Produce in-house Chef
Gregg Prawdzik

(makes 1.5 quart)

Southeast Asian soups are often prepared fresh, just before serving. No extra time necessary for simmering or stewing. Great for a quick meal on a foggy night.

1 pkg medium tofu (soft okay but not firm)

1 pkg bunashimeji mushrooms

1 carrot, peeled and sliced into matchsticks

2 oz nori or kombu (seaweed) sliced matchstick pieces

1 qt chicken stock

3 ea tamarind pods

12 oz coconut milk

1 tbsp fish sauce (Vietnamese or Thai “nuoc mam”)

1 tbsp brown sugar

4 ea slices of galangal or ginger (1/4 inch), preferably galangal

1 lemon grass, smashed

1 tsp canola oil

½ tsp chili flake

½ cup sliced green onion

Sesame oil to taste

Salt a pepper to taste

MISE EN PLACE: Remove fleshy seeds from the tamarind pods and add to a pot with chicken stock and bring to a simmer. After a few minutes you can turn off the heat and remove the seeds with a slotted spoon. Make sure the sour flesh of the tamarind remains in the stock.

Remove the roots from the mushrooms and set aside. Cut tofu into ½ inch cubes and set aside.

DIRECTIONS: Bring a soup pot or wok up to high heat. Add canola oil, immediately followed by carrots, galangal and lemon grass. Quickly sauté, do not brown. Add mushrooms and sauté for additional 30 seconds before adding the chicken/tamarind stock, coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and chili. Once to a simmer add tofu and seaweed. Bring back to a simmer and serve.

Garnish with drops of sesame oil, green onion and additional nori if you like.