Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup

Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup
All the flavor of traditional Chinese hot and sour soup, without the heavy texture.

Servings: 4

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided
• 3/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 Thai chiles, minced
• 3 stalks of fresh lemongrass, inner bulbs only, thinly sliced
• 1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined, shells reserved
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
• 2 quarts fat-free chicken broth or homemade defatted broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup small basil leaves

In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add the shiitake and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until tender, 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring, until the shiitake are golden, 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the skillet. Add the chiles, lemongrass, shrimp shells, onion and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened and golden, about 7 minutes. Add the fish sauce and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for 10 minutes. Strain the shrimp broth into a large bowl.

Return the broth to the skillet; bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Add the shrimp and shiitake and cook until the shrimp are pink and curled, 1 minute. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the basil leaves and serve.

Per Serving: 502 Calories; 7g Fat (10.8% calories from fat); 1g Saturated Fat; 54g Protein; 82g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 175mg Cholesterol; 1184mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Grain (Starch); 5 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.