Ingredients

The following ingredients have 8 Servings
  • 1 large onion (about 1/2 pound), peeled and quartered
  • 1 3-inch piece of fresh ginger
  • 3 quarts water
  • 1 pound leeks (1 1/2 large), tough ends cut away, halved lengthwise, cleaned and cut in thick slices
  • 2 medium turnips (about 10 ounces), peeled and cut in wedges
  • 1 pound carrots (3 large), peeled and sliced thick
  • 2 ounces mushroom stems (from about 8 ounces mushrooms), or 4 dried shiitakes
  • 1 head of garlic, cut in half
  • 2 stalks lemon grass, trimmed, smashed with the side of a knife, and sliced
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (to taste), preferably raw brown sugar
  • 6 star anise pods
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • A 2- to 3-inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam), to taste (optional)

Instruction

  • Scorch the onion and ginger by holding the pieces above a flame with tongs, or in a dry frying pan if using an electric stove. Turn the pieces until they are scorched black in places on all sides. Slice the ginger lengthwise.
  • Combine the scorched onion and ginger with the water, leeks, turnips, carrots, mushroom stems or dried shiitakes, garlic, lemon grass, salt to taste and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large soup pot and bring to a boil. Tie the spices in a cheesecloth bag and add to the soup. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the fish sauce if using, and simmer for another hour (2 hours total, with or without the fish sauce). Strain through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Taste and adjust salt and sugar.