Gaeng Khae(Spicy Thai Vegetable Soup) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Chile Paste
15 dried arbol chiles (or japones chiles)
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 stalks lemongrass, minced
2 shallots, minced (1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon red miso
Soup
4 cups vegetable broth (preferably low sodium)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 cups sliced beet leaves (or Swiss chard or escarole, turnip greens, kale, etc.)
1 cup fennel, diced (or turnips)
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup firm tofu, diced
1 cup coarsely chopped arugula
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Preparation

Chile Paste:.
Soak chiles in a bowl of boiling water 30 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and finely chop.
Combine garlic and salt in mortar, and pound with pestle(or food processor). Add lemongrass, shallots, miso and chiles, pounding and crushing after each addition to make a thick paste(or use food processor).
Soup:.
Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in soy sauce and chile paste.
Add greens, fennel, and mushroooms, and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer 5 minutes.
Add tofu, and cook 2 more minutes.
Stir in arugula, mint and parsley. Simmer 1-2 minuttes, or until herbs wilt. Enjoy!