Prep time
10 min
Cook time
20 min
Serves
2
Calories
~180 kcal
Difficulty
Easy
Ingredients
Method
01
Build the aromatic base
Take the lemongrass stalks and bruise them firmly with the back of a heavy knife — this cracks open the fibres and releases the fragrant oil inside. Cut into 3-inch sections. Combine in a pot with the sliced ginger and stock or water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Let it steep for 15 minutes — your kitchen will smell extraordinary.
02
Remove the lemongrass
Fish out all the lemongrass pieces and ginger slices using a slotted spoon. They've done their work and are not pleasant to eat. The broth should now be a clear, golden colour with a deep citrusy aroma. Taste it — if it needs more depth, simmer for another 5 minutes uncovered.
03
Cook the shiitake
Add the shiitake mushrooms (stems removed — the stems are too tough) to the broth. Simmer for 8 minutes until the caps are tender and have absorbed the lemongrass flavour. They'll turn a deeper brown and release some of their own umami into the broth.
04
Add the delicate greens
Add the halved bok choy and the enoki mushrooms. These need barely 2 minutes — bok choy should stay bright green and have a slight crunch. Enoki mushrooms soften almost instantly. Watch the clock.
05
Season the broth
Add soy sauce and sesame oil. The soy adds depth and salt; the sesame oil adds a nutty, aromatic finish. Taste the broth — it should be savoury, fragrant and clean. Add a pinch of salt if needed but be careful since soy sauce is already salty.
06
Serve immediately
Ladle into deep warmed bowls. Scatter sliced red chilli over the top — one chilli for warmth, two for heat. Finish with a handful of garlic chives. Serve with chopsticks and a spoon. This broth is meant to be sipped slowly.
Tips for the best result
- ✦Bruising the lemongrass is essential — an unbruised stalk releases almost no flavour into the broth.
- ✦Don't skip removing the lemongrass before adding other ingredients — biting into a fibrous stalk ruins the experience.
- ✦Shiitake stems are too woody to eat but can be added while building the broth for more depth, then removed with the lemongrass.
- ✦Add rice noodles to the broth in step 3 if you want a more filling bowl.
- ✦A squeeze of lime juice right before serving brightens the whole thing.
Get all 6 ingredients delivered
Every ingredient in this recipe is available on Urban Farmers.
Harvested at dawn, delivered every Tuesday & Friday across Mumbai.