Tom Ka With Tofu (Or Tom Yam) Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 tablespoons fish sauce
1 (12 ounce) can coconut milk (Not the reduced fat kind. Fat makes it taste DELICIOUS!)
2 cups chicken stock (I use the chicken stock paste that comes in little jars. It has no MSG and is all-natural, without t)
2 cups water
2 sprigs lemongrass, root (two inch sprigs, chopped into tiny slices)
1 kaffir lime leaf (or other lime leaf, tossed in whole) (optional)
1 lime, juice of
4 garlic cloves (or more depending on your preference)
1 (8 ounce) package silken tofu, drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup shrimp (optional)
1/2 cup mushroom (Any kind, such as white, shiitake, portobello, etc. I mostly use shiitake because I keep a giant con)
1 teaspoon red chili paste (I like Sriracha brand. Add more to taste.)
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (for garnish)
1/4 cup Thai basil, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Throw everything in a pot and boil for about 10 minutes, saving shrimp until last (if you are using shrimp--I often just make this vegetarian).
Garnish and serve.
To make Tom Yam instead of Tom Ka, do everything the same, except substitute more chicken stock to replace the coconut milk.