Thai Prawn Soup with Coconut Milk
The broth is made with the heads and shells of the prawns themselves, and only then are the coconut milk, lime zest, and jalapeño added. The sesame oil goes in at the end, with the heat turned off.
Ingredients
- 500 g raw prawns
- 1 leek
- 1 carrot
- 1 large celery stalk
- 1 medium onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 piece of ginger the size of the garlic clove
- 1 handful of cilantro (coriander)
- 2 small jalapeño peppers
- 1 lime
- 1 plum tomato
- 250 g coconut milk
- Neutral oil, as needed
- A few drops of toasted sesame oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- 1
Clean the prawns: separate the head with a twist, remove the shell and legs, and leave the final ring with the tail. If a coral-colored liquid appears while peeling them, those are the roe and they add flavor to the broth: do not discard them.
- 2
Set aside the heads, shells, and legs separately.
- 3
Make an incision along the back of each prawn and remove the vein.
- 4
Drizzle the cleaned prawns with the juice of half a lime and place them in the refrigerator. With fish and seafood, the less time at room temperature, the better.
- 5
In a pot with a splash of neutral oil, sauté the heads, shells, and legs together with the crushed garlic, bay leaf, carrot, whole leek—green leaves included—, onion, and celery, all roughly chopped.
- 6
When the mixture turns a deep coral color and the vegetables become translucent, cover with boiling water and cook over low heat for 25 minutes.
- 7
Strain the broth through a chinois (fine-mesh sieve), pressing hard on the solids to extract all the flavor. Discard them and set the liquid aside.
- 8
Bring the broth to a simmer and incorporate the coconut milk.
- 9
Grate the lime zest without reaching the white part, which is bitter, and add it to the soup along with the finely chopped ginger.
- 10
Peel the tomato, remove the seeds, cut it into cubes, and add it.
- 11
Cut the jalapeños into rings and discard the seeds under the tap, which is where the most heat is. Wash your hands well afterwards and avoid touching your eyes.
- 12
In a skillet (frying pan) with a splash of neutral oil, sauté the chili rings. After a few seconds, add the minced garlic and the prawns, and cook them for just one minute per side.
- 13
Perfume with a few drops of toasted sesame oil and turn off the heat immediately: sesame loses its aroma if subjected to heat, and its flavor becomes overpowering if you use too much.
- 14
Distribute the prawns into bowls, removing the tails from those going to the bottom so they can be eaten without obstruction.
- 15
Chop the cilantro once, without going over it again, and add it to the soup. Also add the cooking juices from the prawns and serve.