Clear Paddy Straw Mushroom soup with Melientha vegetables is a simple traditional Lao dish. It has a light, delicious broth with a fragrant aroma from herbs. This soup is best enjoyed hot with sticky rice.
Ingredients:
- 500 g Paddy straw mushrooms
- Melientha vegetables, as desired (use the young shoots and tender leaves)
- 1-2 stalks of lemongrass
- 2-3 tablespoons fermented fish sauce (padaek)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon seasoning powder
- 1 liter water
- Sliced chilies, as desired
Cooking Instructions:
- Bring the water to a boil. Add the lemongrass, lightly crushed and cut into pieces, and the sliced chilies. Simmer until the herbs release their fragrance.
- Add the fermented fish sauce, salt, and seasoning powder. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Wash the Paddy straw mushrooms thoroughly and cut them in half. Add them to the boiling broth and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are fully cooked.
- Add the melientha vegetables and stir gently until they begin to soften. Turn off the heat immediately.
- Avoid cooking the vegetables for too long so they retain their green color and do not become too soft. Serve the soup hot with sticky rice.
