Thai Vegetable and Prawn Soup

Ingredients:
Ginger – 5 cm piece
Shrimp paste – 1/2 tsp
Dried shrimps – 2 tbsp
Shallots – 2 tbsp, peeled
Straw or button Mushrooms – 75 gms
Pumpkin – 150 gms, peeled and cubed
Ridge gour – 150 gms, peeled and cubed
Baby corn – 75 gms
Pepper corns – 1 tsp
Prawns – 150 gms, shelled
Fish sauce – 2 tbsp
Basil leaves – few
Spinach leaves – 30 gms
Fish stock – 4 cups
Salt – 1/4 tsp

Method:
1. Finely crush all the ginger, shrimp paste, dried shrimps, peppercorns. Prepare a paste from them.
2. Boil the fish stock. Add the above prepared paste. Keep stirring till all the ingredients blend properly.
3. Put in the vegetables.
4. Wait for the soup to boil again and then add the prawns and 2 tbsp of fish sauce.
5. Only when the prawns are well cooked, add basil and spinach. Stir for a few seconds. Remove from heat.