Le Colonial's Spicy Tamarind Soup -

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Le Colonial's Spicy Tamarind Soup

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By Chef Viet Tran

Posted July 23rd, 2007

FabulousFoods.com Recommends: Splendid Soups: Recipes and Master Techniques for Making the World's Best Soups, by James Peterson, (2000, Wiley)

Splendid Soups: Recipes and Master Techniques for Making the World's Best Soups

Servings:	4
Author Notes:	This recipe comes to us from Chef Viet Tran of New York City's and Philadelphia's Le Colonial Restaurants. Clint Brownfield visited Le Colonial in New York. Click here for his full report as well as more great Vietnamese recipes.
Ingredients:	2 tablespoons vegetable oil 5 cups chicken stock 16 small shrimp, cleaned (save the shells for the recipe's stock) 2 stalks lemongrass 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped 1 cup loosely packed, diced pineapple 4 pieces okra, cut into 4 pieces each 3 cloves garlic, minced or prglossessed 2 ounces tamarind paste (available in Asian Grocery Store) 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon sugar 2 cups bean sprouts, loosely packed 10 leaves Asian Basil (check the Asian grocery store, if not available, use dill instead) lime juice to taste
Instructions:	Serves 4 or more Heat oil in a 2 quart saucepan. Add chopped garlic, lemongrass and cayenne pepper. Stir briefly until garlic starts to brown, then add tamarind paste, chicken stock and shrimp shells. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain into another saucepan and bring to a boil again. Add shrimp, pineapple, tomato, okra, salt and sugar. Adjust seasoning, if necessary by adding lime juice and salt. Add bean sprouts. Serve piping hot, garnished with Asian basil or dill. Bring potatoes, leeks, stock, bay leaf and thyme to a simmer until potatoes are tender (20-25 minutes). Remove bay leaf. Add heavy cream and simmer 5 minutes. Purée. If serving cold, cover and chill. Either way, garnish with chopped chives.