Sour Shrimp Soup

• Two pounds of medium sized, fresh shrimp. (frozen ones are...tacky)
• 1/2 pound straw mushrooms
• A stalk or two of lemon grass cut into short pieces
• 2 fragrant lime leaves
• some salt
• 2 tablespoons nampla
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 5-7 hot chilis...about the size of a decent cayenne or a small Anaheim
• some fresh coriander sprigs
• a few cubes of fish boullion, to taste
• 6 cups of water

Shell the shrimp except for the tail, and devein (real men skip the deveining)...butterfly the shrimp...cut the mushrooms into manageable, bite sized pieces...bring the water to a boil with boullion cubes...put in the lemon grass and the lime leaves....toss in the 'mushrooms and salt...toss in the shrimp and cook no longer than three minutes. Season with nampla and chili and coriander.

Looks best in a small, deep bowl, with a couple of butterflied shrimp up on top, with a couple of sprigs of coriander, and two or three dried chilies (depending on size). Very appetizing.