Rick Stein

Thai Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves 6

2 teaspoons sunflower oil
1 small garlic clove, chopped
1 pea-sized piece Thai shrimp paste
2 lemon grass stalks
2 kaffir lime leaves or a small strip of pared lime rind
2 pints fresh chicken stock
3 oz dried medium egg noodles
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
½ medium-hot red chili, seeded and finely chopped
½ teaspoon dark brown sugar
2 oz fresh spinach leaves, cut into1 inch wide strips
Handful fresh cilantro leaves

To Start:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic and shrimp paste and fry gently over medium heat for 1 minute. Meanwhile, lightly crush the lemon grass stalks with a rolling pin or the blade of a large knife.

To Make the Soup:
Add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and chicken stock to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drop the noodles into a pan of boiling water, remove from the heat and leave to soak for 4 minutes, before draining.

To Refine the Soup:
Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, return to the pan and add the fish sauce, lime juice, red chili and sugar. Simmer for 3 minutes. Add the egg noodles and spinach and simmer for 30 seconds.

And Finally:
Ladle into bowls, dividing the noodles equally between each one, and sprinkle with the cilantro leaves.