This soup is easy to make, hearty and satisfying. This soup is rather mild, but chose to leave it that way in deference to those who don't eat spicy food. If you were serving a large group with different tastes, that would be a consideration. I use about double the lemon grass, fish sauce, peppers and cilantro, putting half the peppers and cilantro in the soup and the other half for each person to add. If you can find them, Thai chile peppers are hotter than jalapenos!