- chefmcdang
Spicy vegetables soup (Gaeng Liang)

Gaeng Liang Ingredients:
6 cups Water or chicken stock
1 cup Pumpkin, small diced
1 cup Sponge gourd, diced small (buab)
½ cup Grilled serpent-head fish or any kind of white flesh fish meat, break into chunks
1 cup Ivy gourd leaves (bai tam lung)
to taste Fish sauce
as needed Ground pepper
1 cup Mint basil leaves (bai mang lak)
Gaeng Liang Paste, Ingredients:
¼ cup Shallots, sliced
1 Tbsp. White peppercorns
1 Tbsp. Shrimp paste (ka pi), roasted until fragrant
¼ cup Grilled serpent-head fish or any kind of white flesh fish meat, break into chunks
Preparation:
Make a paste by pounding together in a pestle and mortar, shallots, white peppercorns and shrimp paste (ka pi).
Boiled the water in sauce pan, dissolve the prepared paste in boiling water. Bring back to a boil.
Add pumpkin pieces, bring water back to boil then add the sponge gourd and allow the water to boil again. Add ivy gourd-leaves and ground dry shrimp. Adjust seasoning with fish sauce and ground pepper.
Before serving add mint basil leaves (bai mang rak) and immediately take off heat.
Note:
A. Any kind of non aromatic gourd family vegetable can be substituted for sponge gourd.
B. Ivy gourd leaves: any green slightly bitter vegetables can be substituted. (Spinach, kale etc.)