Thai breakfast shrimp and rice soup

I have been looking for a recipe that resembles what we used to eat in one of the cafeterias at university in Switzerland, and this is my closest find so far.

This is not the traditional hot-and-sour shrimp soup - which has coconut milk and chilies etc. This is a clear broth soup, much lighter, and where you control the heat.

• 1 cup cooked Thai jasmine rice (hence the 20 min prep, since rice needs cooking)
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup thinly sliced Chinese celery (including the leaves), or spring onion. I use spring onion or leek.
• Chopped stalk or powdered lemongrass (dissolve in small amount of water), to taste (1 stalk or 1 tablespoon, to start)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning, or a small amount of chicken broth, to taste
• tamarind paste to taste (optional)
• 1 tablespoon garlic, thinly sliced
• Shiitake or button mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Thai pepper powder (i skip this, just use chili flakes at the end)
• half a pound of shrimp
• to serve
• lime juice (optional)
• chili flakes for heat

In a very small amount of oil saute the garlic until golden brown and beginning to crisp up.

Pour in the water, and bring to the boil.

Next add the celery or onions, Maggi sauce, fish sauce, pepper, tamarind, lemongrass, and stir until it boils again.

Add mushrooms, and return to the boil, continuing to simmer, stirring occasionally, long enough for the mushrooms to be tender.

Add the shrimp, and the rice, and cook until the shrimp turn pink.

As you serve, season with lime juice and chili flakes to taste.

If you prepare this in advance, keep the rice and shrimp out and add them while you reheat the soup, else the rice becomes soggy.

At uni they would have the broth with the veggies in one pot, and the rice separately, and then they would put rice in the bottom of the bowl, pour broth on top, add cooked shrimp, then serve it with a small dish on the side containing lime juice and chili flakes, for people to add to taste.

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