Thai cuisine · Soups & Stews

Gaeng Ranjuan

Sour Isaan soup with thinly sliced beef, a bold herb paste and plenty of Thai basil.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g beef (shoulder)
• 1.5 l beef stock
• 5 shallots
• 6 cloves garlic
• 5 dried red chilies
• 2 stalks lemongrass
• 1 tsp shrimp paste (kapi)
• 4 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 limes
• 2 handfuls Thai basil
• 1 bunch spring onions
• salt

Instructions

1. Soak the dried chilies in hot water for 15 minutes and pound them with the shallots, garlic, chopped lemongrass, shrimp paste and a pinch of salt in a mortar into a coarse paste.
2. Slice the beef across the grain into thin 5 mm slices — this is much easier when the meat is half-frozen.
3. Bring the beef stock to a boil, stir in the paste, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the stock turns dark and fragrant.
4. Slide in the meat slices one at a time and let simmer over low heat for 20–25 minutes until tender, skimming off the rising foam several times so the soup stays clear.
5. Season with fish sauce and the juice of 1.5 limes — the soup should taste strongly sour and salty at once, without sweetness.
6. Remove from the heat, fold in the Thai basil and spring onion rings, and serve the soup piping hot with sticky rice and the remaining lime wedges.