SERVES 4 PREP 1.5 HR COOK 40MINS

NAM PRIK PAO (Thai chili paste)

45 grams dried chilies
25 garlic cloves
20 shallots, chopped
sliced 2.5 tablespoons dried shrimps
7 tablespoons grated palm sugar
4.5 tablespoons fish sauce
2-lime juice

INGREDIENTS

1 L chicken stock
1 kg tiger prawns
1.5 L Stock liquid (see below)
10 kaffir lime leaves ( plus 10 more kaffir lime)
3 lemongrass stalk, bruised
4 slices of galangal, bruised
2 tablespoons Nam Prik Pao (see recipe below)
2 tablespoons fish sauce, add more to adjust
150 ml coconut milk
150 grams oyster mushroom or button mushroom
Thai basil
Coriander
2 tablespoon white sugar, add more to adjust
3 tomatoes, quartered
Spring onion, sliced
6 bird eye chilies
2 tablespoons fresh lime -juice
1 pack of baby corn

CHICKEN STOCK

Thai basil
Coriander
2 tablespoon white sugar, add more to adjust
3 tomatoes, quartered
Spring onion, sliced
2kg chicken neck and bones
1 bunch of celery
5 carrots
1kg prawn heads and shells
3L water
Oil

GARNISH

Coriander leaves
Fried shallots (can be found in your local Asian grocery store)

METHOD

1. First to prepare the stock, heat oil in a large stockpot and fry the prawn heads and skin along with chicken necks and bones until completely seared. Add carrots, celery and cover with water. Season with salt and cook the broth for at least 1 hour and a half or in the pressure cooker for 40minutes.

2. To prepare the chilli paste, toss the chilies in a dry wok over medium heat until they turn darker in colour. Set aside.

3. Separately, fry the garlic and shallots with 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan until they turn golden brown.

4. Combine garlic, shallots, roasted chilies and the rest of the ingredients in a food processor to a smooth paste. Set aside.

5. Peel and clean prawns, keeping the tails intact. Put the shells and heads of the prawns in a medium pot and add the stock liquid, 1 lemongrass stalk and, 4 kaffir lime leaves. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes. Strain the stock using a muslin cloth and transfer the stock to another pot.

6. Put the stock back on heat, and let it simmer. Add lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, galangal, and bird eye chilies and cook further more to infuse all the flavours.

7. Add tomatoes, mushroom and cook for further 5 minutes. Add peeled prawns and turn of the heat after about 30 seconds.

8. Season prawns heads with salt and deep fry until golden and crispy.

9. Add lime- juice, sugar, chilli paste and fish sauce and stir. Add more sugar, lime and fish sauce to adjust. Place soup in a serving bowl and top it off with crispy prawn heads. Garnish with basil and coriander and fresh chilli.