Hot and spicy prawn soup

Method

1. Shell and devein the prawns but leave their tails on. Cut the lemongrass into about 5 cm pieces and smash and bruise the pieces with the side of a heavy knife or cleaver to release their full flavour. If you like a strongish stock fry the prawn shells in a smear of oil until they are pink, add water, strain and discard the shells. Otherwise use very light chicken stock or plain water. Bring the water or stock, lemongrass, galangal and lime leaves to the boil and simmer gently for a while to allow the flavours to infuse. Cut the mushrooms in half, add them, the tomatoes and the chillies and simmer a little longer. Put in the prawns, and when they have turned pink, remove the saucepan from the stove and stir in the Nam phrik phao (Chilli jam) until it dissolves, the fish sauce and the lime juice.
2. Pour the soup into individual bowls and scatter coriander leaves over the top. Serve each diner with a bowl of Tom Yam Kung to dip into and eat with their rice in between taking spoonfuls of the communal dishes.
3. For an elegant meal and in keeping with their grandeur, tom yam-style dishes may be brought to the table in a steamboat or a Thai charcoal claypot. There is nothing more enticing than the smells that issue forth as the tom yam bubbles away before your eyes. It is also a good idea to serve small jugs or bowls of extra fish sauce and lemon or lime juice so that diners may adjust the flavours to suit themselves.