Gaeng Liang (Peppery Mixed Vegetable Soup)

Ingredients

• Mixed veg: pumpkin, luffa gourd, ivy gourd leaves, baby corn
• Peppercorns + shallots + dried shrimp + shrimp paste (pounded)
• Fresh or dried shrimp
• Water/stock + a little fish sauce

Method

• Pound the peppercorns, shallots, dried shrimp and shrimp paste to a paste
• Bring water to a boil, dissolve the paste, season with fish sauce
• Add firmer vegetables first (pumpkin, corn), then luffa, then leafy greens
• Add shrimp; once the vegetables are just tender, turn off the heat and serve hot

How to choose ingredients

Choose fresh green, unwilted vegetables · Naturally orange, fragrant dried shrimp · Good shrimp paste is aromatic, not overly salty.

Chef's secret

Chef's secret: add leafy greens last and turn off the heat the moment they're done so they stay green and crisp, not yellow and mushy · the pounded pepper-dried-shrimp-shrimp-paste is the heart of gaeng liang's aroma.

Order country vegetables + shrimp + gaeng liang paste from Fresh Market Online.