Ingredients
2 tsp sunflower oil
1 small garlic clove, chopped
a pea-sized piece Thai shrimp paste (blachan)
2 lemongrass stalks
2 kaffir lime leaves - or strip of pared lime rind
1.2 litres/2 pint fresh chicken stock
75g/3oz dried medium egg noodles
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 lime, juice only (about 2 tsp)
½ medium-hot red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2.5ml/½ tsp light muscovado sugar
50g/2oz fresh spinach or pak choi, cut into 2.5cm/1in wide strips
a handful fresh coriander leaves

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
2. Add the garlic and shrimp paste and fry gently over a medium heat for 1 minute.
3. Meanwhile, lightly crush the lemon grass stalks with a rolling pin or the blade of a large knife.
4. To make the soup add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and chicken stock to the pan, bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Meanwhile , drop the noodles into a pan of boiling water, remove from the heat and leave to soak for 4 minutes, before draining.
6. To refine the soup, strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, return to the pan and add the fish sauce, lime juice, red chilli and sugar.
Simmer for 3 minutes.
7. Add the egg noodles and spinach, or pak choi and simmer for a further 30 seconds.
8.Finally, ladle into bowls, dividing the noodles equally between them and scatter over the coriander leaves.