3 tablespoons sliced canned mushrooms
7 baby corns, cut diagonally
7 cloves garlic
50 mm (2') piece ginger, cut into thin strips
5 stalks lemon grass, tied
1/4 cup chopped coriander
3 green chilies, slit
1 seasoning vegetable cube
1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the garnish:
2 tbsps spring onion, finely cut
2 tbsps chopped coriander
2 tbsps carrots, cut into thin strips

Hot & Sour Soup

1. Tie the lemon grass stalks and coriander together using some lemon grass.
2. Boil 5 cups of water in a pan. Add the seasoning cube, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and coriander (tied together), cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. When the aroma starts getting released, discard the garlic, ginger, lemon grass and coriander bunch.
4. Add the chilies, mushrooms, baby corn, salt and simmer for another 15 minutes in the covered pan. Add the lemon juice just before serving.
5. Garnish the soup bowl with spring onions, coriander and carrot, pour the hot soup over it and serve at once.
6. Tip: Keep in mind that seasoning cubes already contain salt. Therefore, extra salt should be added last, if required. Pouring hot soup over the spring onions, carrots and coriander helps release their flavours besides cooking them slightly.
   Serves 4
   Preparation time: 45 minutes