This wonderful soup from Thailand makes a warm start to any Asian-flavoured meal. It can be as hot as you like.

Ingredients

• 1½ litre fish stock
• grated rind 2 limes
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled and mashed to a paste
• 2 stalks lemon grass, finely chopped
• 2 fresh chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• chilli sauce or cayenne pepper to taste
• 12-18 green prawns (shelled or unshelled)
• fresh coriander to garnish

Method

1. In a large saucepan put the fish stock, grated lime rind, lime juice, garlic, lemon grass, chillies, fish sauce and coriander and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Season with salt and pepper and add chilli sauce or cayenne to taste.
3. Add the prawns and simmer a further 5 minutes until they are cooked. Serve in bowls and garnish with coriander.