This is a favorite soup of the Thai people and Lao people who live in Issan (means Northeast Thailand). It is tasty, with lots of vegetables and pork, but can be a little spicy, so be careful.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. bamboo shoots (comes in a 1 lb. jar)
5 medium pumkin leaves or spinach leaves (for crushing to make juice)
1 cup ground pork
1 cup shiitake mushrooms (cut in half)
3 each red chili peppers
3½ cups water
1 cup baby pumpkin (sliced - can substitute with sliced zucchini)
1 cup okra (sliced)
1 cup fresh sweet corn
2 tbsp. galangal (chopped - see note below)
2 tbsp. lemongrass chopped
3 tbsp. mud fish sauce (called "pla-ra" - see note below)
3 tbsp. fish sauce
3 tbsp. red pearl onions
3 tbsp. sticky rice (may be substituted by corn starch or flour)
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 cup basil

PREPARATION:

1. Soak the sticky rice in water for about 30 minutes prior to using in this recipe (this does not apply if corn starch or flour is used in place of sticky rice).
2. Mix the ground pork with salt and pepper, then using your hands shape the pork into small balls and set aside.
3. Crush the pumpkin (or spinach) leaves with using a mortar and pestle, breaking them well, and then add 3½ cups of water and, using a filter to catch the leaf residue, pour into a pot. Discard the leaf residue.
4. Discard the water from the jar of bamboo shoots and cut the bamboo shoots into 4 inch lengths, then place them into the pot.
5. Crush the galangal, lemongrass, red chili peppers, red pearl onions, salt and the sticky rice previously soaked in water as per item 1 above (or the corn starch or flour if used in place of sticky rice) using the mortar and pestle until the ingredients are well mixed, then put into the pot and stir well.
6. Heat the mixture in the pot using a medium high heat setting for about 6 minutes, then add the mushrooms, baby pumkin, okra, and corn into the pot and stir constantly.
7. Season with mud fish sauce, fish sauce and basil, continuing to stir constantly for a few more minutes. Then turn off the heat and serve right away.

Makes 4 servings

Tip #1: Goes well with sticky rice on the side.

Note #1: Galangal can be found in Asian grocery stores, but may be left out of the recipe if you cannot locate it.

Note #2: Additional fish sauce can be used if you cannot find "mud fish sauce".