Chili Lime Lemongrass Soup

• 15 ml oil
• 227 g mushrooms, sliced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1–3 red Thai chiles, minced (or 2 long green chiles)
• 1.4 L chicken stock (or vegetable)
• 2 5-inch pieces lemongrass, halved lengthwise
• 1 g sugar
• 6 g fish sauce
• 1 bunch cilantro, leaves and stems separated
• 170 g rice noodles
• 2–3 limes, juice of
• 454 g firm tofu, diced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Mga Tagubilin

1. Broth Base

   1

   Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing from time to time, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or two. Add the garlic cloves and red chiles and cook for about a minute. Add 6 cups (1.4 litres) chicken stock, sugar, fish sauce, and lemongrass. Tie the cilantro stems together so it's easy to remove them afterwards and add them to the soup. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5–10 minutes for the flavours to develop.

2. Noodles

   2

   Cover the rice noodles with cold water and set aside.

3. Finishing

   3

   Drain the noodles and add them to the soup. Cook for just a few minutes until they are just tender. Add the tofu and lime juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with cilantro and scallions.

4. 4

   Variations & Tips

   - Spice it up: Add a tablespoon of Sambal Oelek for extra heat and depth. - Protein options: Swap the tofu for ground pork or shredded chicken. Cook the meat through before adding the noodles. - Noodle alternatives: Use vermicelli, ramen, or even jasmine rice instead of rice noodles for a different twist. - Make it your own: Feel free to add other vegetables like bok choy, snow peas, or bell peppers based on what you have on hand.