Mushroom & Prawns Soup

Life is slowly rolling back to normal with my hospital visits off the grid for good (hopefully). It is boiling in Hyderabad, and staying in the top floor of an apartment is a deadly deal that cannot be undone...and so life is HOT...HOT...HOT!!!! Thankfully, the last three days have been cooler at 39 degrees C - 41 degree C, and so i find myself craving for some nice homemade soup, and that's exactly what i made for lunch yesterday.

My ongoing TB treatment calls for high protein diet :). The best part about this soup is that it is power packed with the goodness of mushrooms, prawns, carrots and spinach. Prawns is rich in omega-3, it is low fat and all delicious. Shiitake mushroom also is not just a deliciously fancy fungus, it is believed that it has cancer fighting properties. Spinach and carrots, well what can i say, we all know the goodness of bright colored veggies, to have all of these in one meal...i say....yay!!!

If you reside in Hyderabad you can get dried shiitake mushroom at Q-mart. I love mushrooms!! Prawns btw is a new found love developed after marriage...this bowl of soup therefore is a marriage of my old and new loves :). This really is a stress free, no fuss kinda soup. This recipe makes generous serving for 3 people.

Ingredients:
For the Stock
1 ltr - Water
Thumb sized - Ginger, smashed
1/2 Cup - Stalks of Spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 Tsp - Garlic Salt
For the Seasoning
1 Tsp - Fish Sauce
1/2 Tbsp - Dark Soy Sauce
3-4 Tsp - Light Soy Sauce
1/2 Tbsp - Chili Flakes
Main Ingredients
Prawns - 200 gms
Shiitake Mushroom - 5-6
Carrot - Medium sized, diced/julienne
Spinach - 1/2 Cup

Method:
First make the stock by putting all the ingredient into a pot. Bring it into a rolling boil and let it be for a couple of minutes, don't cover it. Once it smells gingery and the spinach stalks are limp, take it off the stove, strain, put it back onto the pot and onto the stove.

The next step is to bring the stock into boil again, then add all the main ingredients and then season it. You can add or reduce the seasoning according to your liking. Let it boil till the carrot is tender, a couple of minutes. Add the spinach just a minute before you take it off the stove. Let cool, then serve....nice and warm and spicy. Enjoy!!!