ต้มยำกุ้ง Tomyam Kung

3 cups of water or light chicken stock
8 oz of shrimps/prawns, shelled
2 minced garlic cloves
5 kaffir lime leaves
3 thin slices fresh or dried galangal
1/4 cup of fish sauce
2 stalks of lemon glass cut into 1 inches lengths
2 sliced green onions
5 hot green Thai chili peppers (optional)
1/2 cup of sliced straw mushrooms
1/4 cup of lime juice
1 teaspoon of roasted chili paste
1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro leaves

Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat.  Add the garlic, lime leaves, galangal, fish sauce, lemon grass, and shallots, then the mushrooms and chili peppers, if you are using them.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Add the shrimp, and reheat to boiling.   Cook until the shrimps are pink, opaque, and firm but no longer than 1 minute.   When the shrimps are cooked, place the lime juice and chili paste in a serving bowl.  Pour the soup into the bowl, stir, and garnish with cilantro leaves.