Tom yum with carrots and rice noodles

 

Recipe : Tom Yum with carrots and rice noodles

The thinly sliced carrots add an element of sweetness to this soup which works well with the sour, spicy and salty base.

1 sachet of Thai Tom Yum soup base (If you want to make this from scratch, see here)

1 cup of water

2 small bell peppers or half a medium size, seeded and sliced finely

1 large carrot, peeled or scrubbed and thinly sliced

1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced

a handful of greens such as cabbage, spinach or kale, very finely shredded

1 - 2 tbsp fish sauce

juice of half a lime

1 tsp raw cane sugar

1 bundle of rice noodles

a few prawn crackers or Thai fried pork rinds

Place the first 6 ingredients into a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring slowly to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are soft and the greens wilted. 

Taste the soup and start adding the fish sauce, sugar and lime juice until you have a nicely balanced combination of tastes, (this depends on your own personal preference). 

Add the noodles and let the soup gently simmer over medium heat until the noodles are soft. Serve with the crackers or pork rinds and maybe a few dashes of hot sauce if you're feeling spicy, it's Valentine's day after all.....