California Tom Yum Soup

Ingredients

• 8 cups of water
• 2 large roma tomato, or 20 cherry tomatoes, or mix
• 2 dried guajillo chile peppers, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons palm, muscovado or brown sugar
• 1 quantity of Tom Yum Paste, see below
• 8 – 12 ounces mixed mushrooms
• Splash of shoyu or soy sauce, to taste
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice, or to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro in each bowl, for serving
• To serve: Serve on its own with lime wedges, or with steamed rice, and warm tofu. Bonus points for a drizzle of lemon olive oil, or lime oil for serving, and roasted cherry tomatoes.

Directions

1. Set a medium saucepan of water over high heat and bring it up to a boil. Stir in the raw tomato, guajillo chile, and sugar, then lower the heat so the pot bubbles gently. Cook for a few minutes, just until the tomato starts to relax and soften, then stir in the Tom Yum Paste.
2. Let the soup bubble quietly for a couple of minutes, then add the mushrooms. Cook only until they are tender, which should take a couple of minutes. Season with a small splash of shoyu or soy sauce and roughly half the lime juice, then taste and add more of either one if the broth needs it. Spoon 1/4 cup chopped cilantro into the bottom of each bowl, then ladle the hot soup over the top.