Thai scallop and watercress soup

Calories: 134  Preparation: 35 mins  Cooking: 25 mins  Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 900ml chicken or fish stock

• 1 lemon grass, cut in half and bruised by pressing the flat of a knife along its length

• 2 cm fresh ginger root, peeled and cut into matchsticks

• 2 cloves garlic, finely sliced

• 2 hot chillies, seeds removed and finely chopped

• 2 spring onions, finely chopped

• 2 x 85g bags of watercress, roughly chopped

• 30 leaves of fresh coriander

• 12 large scallops, cut in half horizontally

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• Squeeze of fresh lime juice

Method

Place the stock in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and add the lemon grass and ginger. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chilli and spring onions. After one minute, add the watercress, coriander leaves and scallops. Cook for half a minute, add fish sauce and lime juice. Remove the lemon grass and serve.

Note: Prawns could be used instead of scallops.