Step 1

Rinse and then chop spring onions and mushrooms.

Step 2

Peel, rinse and finely chop the carrots.

Step 3

Rinse, peel and finely chop ginger and garlic.

Step 4

Rinse and finely chop green chillies and coriander leaves.

Step 5

Heat 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil or any neutral flavored oil in a pan or pot.

Step 6

Keep heat to a low or medium-low. When the oil becomes hot, add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic and ½ teaspoon chopped green chilli.

Step 7

Sauté ginger, garlic, green chilli for a few seconds on medium-low heat till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away. Do not brown them.

Step 8

Next add ¼ cup chopped spring onion whites.

Step 9

Stir and sauté spring onions for a minute on a medium-low to medium heat.

Step 10

Add the chopped carrots and chopped button mushrooms. You can add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of chopped mix vegetables like cabbage, sweet corn, baby corn, broccoli, carrots, snap peas, green peas and cauliflower. You can also use a mix of various edible mushrooms.

Step 11

Mix very well.

Step 12

Stir fry on a medium-low to medium heat for about 3 minutes. If not using mushrooms then stir fry for less time. Mushrooms leave water and hence the vegetable mixture does not stick to the pan while stir frying.

Step 13

Add 4 cups water. You can even use homemade vegetable stock or a sodium-free vegetable stock instead of water.

Step 14

Add the chopped lemongrass stalk. You could even opt to use a lightly crushed and chopped lemon grass bulb.

Step 15

Add freshly crushed black pepper and salt as per taste.

Step 16

Cover and pan and simmer on medium-low to medium heat until the carrots and mushroom are softened and tender.

Step 17

When the carrots and mushrooms are cooked well, add ⅓ cup coriander leaves and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

Step 18

Add lemon juice as per taste. 2 tablespoons of lemon juice gives a good tangy taste to the soup. If you want a less tangy or sour taste, then add ½ to 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

Step 19

Stir and turn off the heat.

Step 20

Lastly, add chopped spring onion greens (scallions) and mix.

Step 21

Before serving remember to remove the chopped lemongrass stalks with a spoon.

Step 22

Serve Lemon Coriander soup hot or warm in soup bowls or soup mugs. While serving you can garnish with some more spring onion greens and lemon slices. Some crushed black pepper can also be sprinkled on top of the soup.