Spicy fish soup in coconut milk with vegetables

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 200 g sea bream fillet(s), frozen
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 pinch(s) black pepper, freshly ground
• 200 ml coconut milk (can)
• 200 g coconut water
• 2 tbsp fish sauce (see note)
• 1 tsp umami seasoning (granules)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (Saus Tim Ikan – Seafood Soy Sauce)
• 2 tbsp rice wine, dark, spicy-mild
• 2 stalks of lemongrass
• 8 g galangal root
• 10 g ginger root
• 10 g spice lily (aromatic ginger)
• 1 small chili pepper(s), red
• 4 small kaffir lime leaves
• 6 small Kailan (Chinese broccoli), alternatively Pak Choi
• 30 g carrot(s)

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

This fish soup has the same spices as the famous Tom Yang Gong soup from Thailand.

Cut the thawed fish fillet into bite-sized pieces. Marinate with fish sauce and pepper for 10 minutes, then dry with kitchen paper. Combine all ingredients for the broth in a saucepan and adjust the salt content with the fish sauce. Bring the broth to a simmer. To season the lemongrass, use only the bottom 8 cm: wash it, trim the tough root stem, cut it to length, and break up the bottom of the pieces by pounding it with the back of a cleaver. Wash and peel the galangal, ginger, and lily roots, then cut them into thin slices across the grain, then roughly chop them. Cut the washed chili pepper crosswise into thin slices. Leave the seeds in place and discard the stems. Pierce the washed kaffir lime leaves with a fork. Add all the spices to the simmering broth and simmer for 15 minutes. In the meantime, separate the leaves from the washed kailan, cut off about 1 cm of the bottom of the stems, peel them, and cut them crosswise into about 1 cm long pieces. Separate the stems from the leaves and chop them up. Halve the leaves lengthwise and then cut them into thirds crosswise. Cut a piece of washed and peeled carrot lengthwise into about 5 mm thick sticks and cut these into lengths to about 1 cm. Add the kailan and carrot to the broth. After 2 minutes, add the fish pieces and simmer for 3 minutes. Divide between serving bowls, serve, and enjoy as an appetizer. Note: Fish sauces vary greatly in salt content and are often used in Thailand instead of salt to season. If the soup is served with rice as a full meal, be sure to add an extra tablespoon.