Vietnamese Fisherman's Soup

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 lb medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/3 lb boneless skinless salmon, cut into bite size pieces
• 1/4 lb scallops
• boiling water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon ground chili paste
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 5 cups unsalted chicken stock or 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
• 2 cups freshly cut pineapple chunks
• 1/2 medium onion, cut into thin wedges
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp, soaked in
• 1/3 cup hot water, and pushed through a sieve
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rice paddy herb or 1 tablespoon saw-leaf herb (this ingredient gives the soup it's 'sour' flavor)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thai basil
• 2 tablespoons fried shallots, for garnish (instructions follow)
• 1 cup vegetable oil, for frying shallots

Recipe

• 1 bring water to a boil in a medium pot.
• 2 using a strainer with a long handle, blanch all seafood for about 10-20 seconds (this removes impurities and keeps the chicken stock clear when you add the seafood later); set seafood aside.
• 3 discard water and wipe the pot dry; add the oil and heat over moderate heat; add the chili paste and garlic and allow to sizzle until fragrant, about 10 seconds.
• 4 add the chicken stock and bring to a boil; add the seafood, tomatoes, pineapple, onion, fish sauce, sugar, salt, tamarind and lime juice; cook until seafood is just done, about 3-5 minutes.
• 5 remove from heat and add bean sprouts and herbs; garnish with fried shallots and serve piping hot.
• 6 fried shallots: line a cookie sheet with paper towels and spread thinly sliced shallots on top (use about a cup of shallots); let sit for 15-20 minutes to air dry (makes the shallots crispier); heat the oil in a skillet over low heat; add the shallots and and stir them so they don't tangle; fry the shallots until golden, about 5 minutes and with a slotted spoon, remove and drain them on paper towels.
• 7 when shallots are cool, transfer to a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and they'll keep at room temperature for 2 weeks.