Here are ten quick tips about Thai soups. Be prepared for lots of exotic ingredients when you start cooking dishes from my e-book Thai Soup Secrets. Shown above: Bean Curd and Seaweed Soup with Garlic and Chilli.

Thai Soup Tip 1. There are two styles of Thai soup – mild and spicy. Indicated on menus and in my recipes, this gives diners a wide choice.

Thai Soup Tip 2. Make Thai soup with fresh ingredients wherever possible. You’ll find both fresh and dried ingredients in Thai supermarkets.

Thai Soup Tip 3. Mild soups should not be bland. They can get intense flavours from ingredients such as red dates, but they lack chilli heat.

Thai Soup Tip 4. We often add fish sauce to spicy soups, whereas we generally prefer light soy sauce to complete the taste of mild soup.

Thai Soup Tip 5. Shiitake mushrooms are a great ingredient to use in Thai soups. Strain the liquid after soaking and add it to the soup.

Thai Soup Tip 6. Lightly bruised lemon grass, sliced galangal and kaffir lime leaves add flavour, but they’re not meant to be consumed.

Thai Soup Tip 7. Use my recipes, but feel free to use your favourite meat or vegetables in season. You may need to adjust the cooking time.

Thai Soup Tip 8. There are plenty of solids in Thai soups. If you add noodles, be generous with them. Soup is a nourishing dish in Thailand!

Thai Soup Tip 9. Use tamarind purée to make Thai soups less tart and more smooth. Use lime or lemon juice for greater clarity and sourness.

Thai Soup Tip 10. Most Thai soups are easy to make. Spoon them over rice or cooked noodles and they’re ready to serve at any time of day.