spicy+sour lemongrass coconut soup

thai-inspired Tom yum-esque moment

what you need

for the meatballs

1 lb ground pork

3-4 scallions, finely chopped

1 inch ginger, grated

3 cloves garlic, grated

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp soy sauce

olive oil

for the soup

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped

1 red chili pepper (hot), deseeded and finely chopped

2 inch ginger, minced

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 lemongrass stalk, cut in quarters and bruised (hit with side of knife)

6 cups chicken stock

1 can unsweetened, full fat coconut milk

juice of 1-2 limes

~2 cups soup veggies of choice (spinach, bok choy, mushroooms)

rice or noodle of choice

garnish

finely chopped cilantro

finely sliced scallions

more lime juice

what you do

to make the meatballs, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix together. roll into mini balls about 1” in size. heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in large soup pot. add meatballs (making sure not to crowd the pot and working in batches if necessary) and fry until golden brown on all sides. don’t worry about cooking them all the way through because they will finish cooking in the soup. remove from pot and set aside once browned.

in the same pot, add all of your aromatics (ginger, garlic, shallots, peppers, and lemongrass). Cook on low for 4-5 minutes until softened but not brown. Add in chicken stock + coconut milk and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. cook for 10 mins, adding pork meatballs back in about halfway through. taste and season with salt generously as needed. remove lemongrass and then add your vegetables, along with lime juice.

in the meantime, cook your rice or noodles as directed on the package. to assemble, add noodles or rice to your bowl then ladle soup on top. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and an extra squeeze of lime juice.