Hot and sour mushroom soup

Serves: 4

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Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 160g  pack sugar snaps
• 250g  pack of exotic mushrooms
• 250g/9oz  button mushrooms, large ones sliced
•  juice of ½ lime
•  handful fresh beansprouts
•  handful fresh coriander leaves
•  handful fresh basil
• 1  red chilli, deseeded and sliced
• 1tbsp  sunflower oil
• 2  onions, peeled and chopped
• 2  carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2  sticks celery, chopped
• 3  cloves garlic, peeled and halved
• 5cm/2in  piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1  lemon grass stalk, chopped
• 1-2  red chillies, deseeded and chopped
• 2  star anise
• 1  cinnamon bark
• 1tbsp  dark soy sauce

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Method

1. First, make broth; heat oil in a large pan. Add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and ginger. Cook for 2-3 mins until soft, then pour in 2l/31⁄2pt water and season.
2. Add lemon grass, chilli, star anise, cinnamon bark and soy sauce. Bring to the boil then reduce and simmer for about 45 mins. Turn heat off and leave flavours to mingle.
3. Add sugar snaps to pan of boiling salted water and cook for about 2-3 mins. Then drain and refresh in cold water. Put to one side.
4. Strain broth and pour into a clean pan. Simmer, then add mushrooms and a squeeze of lime. Cook for 5-8 mins, then add sugar snaps and cook for 1 min. To serve, ladle broth over a few beansprouts in bowls. Top with coriander, basil and chilli.