Thai Style Tomato Soup with Shrimp and Cellophane Noodles

This is a simple soup, which uses cellophane or mung bean noodles, which are readily available in any Asian market and increasingly in large supermarkets with ethnic food sections, as is the bottled fish sauce and chile-garlic sauce. Lee Kum Kee brand from Hong Kong is widely distributed. You can also certainly substitute other noodles like Japanese Soba or even angel hair. Since these take longer to cook prepare these ahead (follow package directions) and add to the soup just as you serve it.

Serves 6 - 8

1 two-ounce packet of cellophane (mung bean) or thin rice noodles (labeled vermicelli)
7 cups rich chicken stock simmered with shrimp shells for 5 – 10 minutes
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (or to taste)
1 tablespoon Asian chile-garlic sauce (or to taste)
3 cups canned diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup green onions, sliced diagonally and thinly
2 teaspoons hot pepper sesame oil (or to taste)
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons finely sliced garlic, crisply fried in vegetable oil*

Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with hot water and soak until softened, 20-25 minutes. Drain the noodles and dump in a tangle on a cutting board and cut through crosswise and lengthwise to form roughly 4-inch lengths.

Strain the shells from the stock and return to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir in the fish sauce, chile-garlic sauce, tomatoes with their juice, green onions and hot sesame oil. Add the noodles and shrimp and simmer for a minute or two.

To serve: Ladle into warm bowls and top with cilantro and crisp garlic. Serve immediately.

*Garlic can be fried up to a day ahead and stored airtight. To fry garlic, heat 1/4 inch or so of oil over moderate heat. Add garlic and slowly cook until golden brown. It will take 5 minutes or so. If oil is too hot garlic will burn and become bitter so try a “tester” slice first.