Soups Recipes - Prawn and Pineapple Broth Recipe

Ingredients

• 30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 15-30ml/1-2 tbsp tamarind paste

• 15ml/1 tbsp sugar

• 450g/1lb fresh prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined

• 4 thick fresh Pineapple slices, cored and cut into bite size chunks

• salt and ground black pepper

• fresh coriander (cilantro) and mint leaves, to garnish

• steamed rice or plain noodles, to serve (optional)

For the spice paste:

• 4 shallots, chopped

• 4 red chilies, chopped

• 25g/1oz fresh root ginger, peeled and chopped

• 1 lemon grass stalk, trimmed and chopped

• 5ml/1 tsp shrimp paste

Serves 4

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Method:

1. Make the spice paste. Using a mortar and pestle or a food processor; grind the shallots, chilies, ginger and lemon grass to a paste. Add the shrimp paste and mix well.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan. Stir in the spice paste and fry until fragrant. Stir in the tamarind paste and the sugar; then pour in 1.2liters/2 pints/5 cups water. Mix well and bring to the boil.

3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Season the broth with salt and pepper. Add the prawns and pineapple to the broth and simmer for 4-5 minutes, or until the prawns are cooked.

4. Using a slotted spoon, lift the prawns and pineapple out of the broth and divide them among four warmed bowls. Ladle over some of the broth and garnish with coriander and mint leaves.

5. The remaining broth can be served separately as a drink, or spooned over steamed rice or plain noodles, if you want to transform this into a slightly more substantial dish.

Note: This simple dish is often served as an appetite enhancer because of its hot and sour flavor. It is also popular as a tasty accompaniment to plain rice or noodles. In some restaurants, the broth is presented in a hollowed-out pineapple, which has been halved lengthways.