SERVES FOUR

INGREDIENTS:
30ml/2 tb sp groundnut (peanut) or vegetab le oil
3 shallots, finely sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Thai chilli es, seeded and
finely sliced
25gll oz ga langa l, shredded
8 large, ripe tomatoes , skinned,
seeded and finely chopped
15m III tbsp sugar
30m 1/2 tbsp nUDe mam or tuk trey
4 lime leaves
900ml/1l/2 pint s/33/ 4 cups
chicken stock
15mlll tbsp wine vinegar
4 eggs
sea salt and ground black pepper

For the garnish:
chilli oil , for drizzling
1 small bun ch fresh coriander
(cilantro) , finely chopped
1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped

1 Heat the oil in a wok or heavy pan. Stir in the sha llots, ga rli c, chillies and ga langa l and cook until golden and fragrant. Add the tomatoes with the sugar, nUDe mam and lime leaves. Stir unti l it resembles a sauce. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season .

2 Just before serving, bring a wide pan of water to the boil. Add the vinegar and ha lf a teaspoon of salt. Break the eggs into individual cups or small bowls.

3 Stir the water rapid ly to crea te a swirl and d rop an egg into the ce ntre of the swir l. Follow immed iate ly with the oth ers, or poach two at a ti me, and
keep the water boiling to th row the whites up over the yol ks. Turn off the heat, cover the pan and leave to poach until firm enough to lift. Poac hed eggs
are tra ditional , but you could use lightly fried eggs instead .

4 Using a slotted spoon, lift the eggs out of the water and slip them into the hot soup. Drizz le a little ch illi oil over the eggs, sprinkle wit h the coriander
and mint, and serve.

VARIATION:
The soup is very tasty without the eggs and cou ld be served as a spicy tomato soup on its own.

Spicy Tomato and Egg Drop Soup