Tom yum het - spicy Thai soup with mushrooms

From ThisBlueWiki

Adapted from http://www.realthairecipes.com/recipes/clear-mushroom-lemongrass-soup/

• 6 cups water
• 2 lemongrass stalk, cut into 4" pieces and smashed (guesstimate dried)
• 8-12 whole (double) torn lime leaves (left out since I couldn't find)
• 6 slices galangal (about 1 teaspoon) (guesstimate dried, I used more)
• 1 cube (2 tsp) shittake flavor buillon
• 14 small thai chilies, more or less to taste
• 4 cups mixed mushrooms (crimini or white mushrooms, straw mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, black mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, etc. -- oddly, fresh shiitake don't have a great texture in this soup)
• optional: 1/2lb extra firm tofu, sliced
• 2 tomatos, cut into 8 pieces lengthwise
• 4 tablespoons white soy sauce
• 2 teaspoon white sugar
• 4 tablespoons lime juice
• optional: 2 tsp peanut oil
• 4 stems coriander (cilantro)

1. Add the water to a sauce pan. Crush the lemongrass and cilantro root in a stone mortar & pestle or with the butt of a knife, then add them to the water. Tear the lime leaves to release flavor, and throw them in too along with the galangal.
2. Turn on your heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. Boil your herbs for about 5 minutes or so, to release the flavors. The color of the water should be a light green when you’re finished.
3. Add the mushrooms, tofu, chilies, bullion and oil. Boil for 2-3 more minutes, until mushrooms are soft.
4. Turn off the heat. Add your sliced tomato, soy sauce, sugar, and at the very end the lime juice. Taste to make sure the flavor is right… It should be quite sour & spicy. You may need to add more lime juice depending on how sour your limes are.
5. Transfer to a bowl and garnish with cilantro.

Note: You don't eat the galangal, lime leaves, lemongrass or coriander root, so you may want to fish them out of the soup before you serve it to your guests. Also, lime juice loses it's complex flavor when boiled, which is why you add it at the very end, after turning off the heat. You should serve the soup right away. Both chicken or seafood can be substituted for mushrooms, if preferred.