Asian Soups Recipes - Smoked Mackerel and Tomato Soup Recipe

  
 

Soups Recipes - Smoked Mackerel and Tomato Soup Recipe

Ingredients

  • 200g/7oz smoked mackerel fillets

  • 4 tomatoes

  • 1 liter/4 cups vegetable stock

  • 1 lemon grass stalk, finely chopped

  • 5cm/2in piece fresh galangal or root ginger, finely diced or sliced

  • 4 shallots, finely chopped

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 2.5ml/1/2 tsp dried chili flakes

  • 15ml/1 tbsp fish sauce

  • 5ml/1 tsp palm sugar (jaggery) or light muscovado (brown) sugar

  • 45ml/3 tbsp thick tamarind juice, made by mixing tamarind paste with warm water                   

  • small bunch fresh chives or spring onions (scallions), to garnish

Serves 4

Method:

  1. Prepare the smoked mackerel fillets. Remove and discard the skin, if necessary, then chop the flesh into large pieces.

  2. Carefully remove any stray bones with your fingers or by using a pair of sterilized tweezers.

  3. Cut the tomatoes in half, squeeze out and discard most of the seeds, then finely dice the flesh with a sharp knife. Place in bowls and set aside.

  4. Pour the stock into a large pan and add the lemon grass, galangal or ginger; shallots and garlic. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

  5. Add the fish, tomatoes, chili flakes, fish sauce, sugar and tamarind juice. Simmer for around 4-5 minutes, until the fish and tomatoes are heated through.

  6. Ladle into individual soup bowls, garnish with the chives or spring onions and serve.

Note: All the ingredients for this unusual soup are cooked in a single pan, so it is not only quick and easy to prepare, but requires little clearing up afterwards. Smoked mackerel gives the soup a robust flavor, but it is tempered by the citrus tones provided by the lemon grass and tamarind.