Spicy Asian garlic and ginger soup

Ingredients

• 2 pcs Lemongrass stalks, washed and sliced to the red line
• 1 pcs Small ginger root, washed but not peeled
• 1 pcs Chili pepper (optional), cut into pieces, deseeded for less heat
• 3 pcs Shallots, washed and peeled
• 1 clove Garlic, washed, peeled
• 1 tbsp Turmeric, ground
• 1/2 tbsp Cinnamon, ground
• 1 tbsp Anise star, ground
• 1 tbsp Dry tamarinds without seed, put into 50 ml water to dissolve
• 1 tbsp Shrimp paste
• 2 tbsp Soy sauce
• 200 g Fresh, cleaned pineapple

Method

1. Put the ingredients into a blender and mix them together.
2. Put everything into a 2-3 litre saucepan then cook until the mixture starts to bubble.
3. Add 500 ml of water then bring to a boil again. Cook for 20 minutes.
4. Check the balance of sweet, sour, and salty. If any of them is missing, add brown sugar for sweetness, lemon juice for sourness, and soy sauce for saltiness.
5. Add fresh vegetables cut Julienne: cucumber, red paprika, pineapple, and carrots. You can also add cooked chicken from the broth you cooked previously.