KAENG JEUT PHRAK KAI

Vegetable Soup with Chicken and Prawns

A bland soup that is best served with a meal, to be eaten alongside the other main dishes. Bland soups help take the heat out of chilli dishes. The chicken balls in this soup are easily made but you could use cubes of chicken instead.

Serves 4

175 g (6 oz) raw prawns (shrimp)

2 coriander (cilantro) roots, cleaned and finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

pinch of ground white pepper, plus extra, to sprinkle

150 g (6 oz) minced (ground) chicken

½ spring onion (scallion), finely chopped

935 ml (33 fl oz/3¾ cups) chicken or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons preserved radish

175 g (6 oz) marrow or pumpkin (squash), cut into 2.5 cm (1 in) cubes

175 g (6 oz) Chinese cabbage, roughly chopped

a few coriander (cilantro) leaves, for garnish

Peel and devein the prawns and cut each prawn along the back so it opens like a butterfly (leave each prawn joined along the base and at the tail, leaving the tail attached).

Using a pestle and mortar or a small blender, pound or blend the coriander roots, garlic, pepper and a pinch of salt into a paste. In a bowl, combine the coriander paste with the chicken and spring onion. Use a spoon or your wet hands to shape the chicken mixture into small balls about 1 cm (½ in) in diameter.

Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the light soy sauce and preserved radish. Lower the chicken balls into the stock and cook over medium heat for 1–2 minutes, or until the balls are cooked through.

Add the marrow or pumpkin to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes. Add the prawns and Chinese cabbage and cook for another 1–2 minutes. Taste, then adjust the seasoning if necessary. Garnish with coriander leaves and sprinkle with ground white pepper.

Far left: Make a paste using the coriander roots, garlic, white pepper and salt.

Left: Combine the coriander paste with the chicken and spring onion and shape the mixture into small balls.