Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp and Mushrooms for Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sundays

Last week when I was looking for spicy soup recipes I saw this Thai-inspired hot and sour soup from Nigella Lawson on Food Network and decided to make it. It's nicely spicy and not too heavy, making it perfect for summer eating.

Since I didn't have the Tom Yam hot and sour paste, I used a mixture of red curry and tamarind paste to get the sour notes. I also added some coconut milk because I love it in a Thai-flavored broth. 

Shrimp and Mushroom Hot and Sour Soup 
Adapted from Nigella Lawson via FoodNetwork.com
(Serves 4)

6 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 heaping Tbsp Tom Yam hot and sour paste (I used 1 Tbsp red curry paste + 1/2 Tbsp tamarind paste)
4 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped (optional)
1 stalk lemongrass, bottom inner part only, roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
4 tbsp fish sauce
2 to 3 small jalapenos, finely chopped (I used two)
1 tsp sugar
(I added 1 cup coconut milk)
1 1/2 cups straw or button mushrooms, sliced
1 lb peeled and deveined raw shrimp
5 1-inch pieces scallions, sliced thin
1 bunch cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped 

In a medium saucepan, heat stock, tom yam paste, lime leaves, lemon grass, lime juice, fish sauce, chiles, and sugar. Once it has come to a boil, add mushrooms and simmer for 2 minutes. Add shrimp and scallions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes allowing the shrimp to cook but still be tender. Taste and check for seasoning.

Sprinkle with cilantro and serve immediately. Place extra cilantro on the table for people to add more. 

 
Notes/Results: This soup has a nice blend of spicy, sweet, sour, and savory and with the shrimp and mushrooms, it satisfies without being heavy. I think adding coconut milk is a big plus--it makes the broth rich and creamy. You can of course adjust the spice level--I used two peppers--one seeded and one not and with my red curry/tamarind paste mix, I  found it medium in spice--which is what I like. You can also add additional lime juice, which I did. This soup would also be good as all mushroom and veggie, with some tofu, or chicken if you eat meat or poultry. I would happily make it again.

I am linking this up to I Heart Cooking Clubs where this coming week is Potluck week--our chance to make any recipe from our current IHCC chef or any of the past IHCC featured chefs.  

 
We have some delicious dishes waiting this week in the Souper Sundays kitchen--let's have a look!

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog made Pasta Salad with Olives and Veggies and said, "Sometimes you need an easy go-to recipe to serve on those hot hot hot summer nights when you just don't feel like doing any real cooking. Pasta (gluten free of course) salad seems to be that recipe for me. This Mediterranean style salad is flavorful, fragrant and can be made in advance. We enjoy it paired with  cold soup  or cheese and ( GF) crackers."

 
Shaheen from Allotment2Kitchen shared a summer soup and said, "Zucchini, Broad Beans, Peas and Mint Soup - all the fresh green ingredients have been grown in my garden plot and were picked at the weekend. I know its warm, so why on earth would I make soup? I just fancied something light and its been a while since I made a zucchini soup. I have to admit, I did not enjoy it as much on the day it was made, preferring it a day or two later when the flavours improved, still it made for a lovely summer soup, one to eat with a spoon from a bowl or from an mug if you want to sit in the garden and slurp, watching the bees sneaking in and out of nasturtium flowers."

 
Tina of Squirrel Head Manor shared two salads she enjoyed, Taziki's Signature Pasta Salad and a Cobb Salad and said, "This salad was packed with chicken, tomatoes, feta and a ton of pasta.  Honestly, it was so much pasta I couldn't finish it.  I probably wouldn't get it again but that doesn't mean I don't like it. Next we have a Cobb Salad.  Ok, I know (as does everyone who can read the ingredients list) that a Cobb salad is not usually healthy.  Too much blue cheese and definitely too much bacon!  But it was a late lunch again and this appealed.  See how large?  This is the lunch portion, the smaller portion.  No way could I eat a larger salad, I didn't quite finish this one."

 
Mahalo to everyone who joined me this week! 

Souper Sundays is back with a new format of a picture link each week where anyone interested can post their soups, salads, or sandwiches any time during the week and I post a recap of the entries the following week.)

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here. 

If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you.

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Please mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and link back to this post.
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (optional).

An InLinkz Link-up

Have a happy, healthy week!