Vietnam - Crab, Shrimp, and White Fungus Soup (Sup Nam Trang)

Crab, Shrimp, and White Fungus Soup 

(Sup Nam Trang)

Serve hot to 4

Ingredients

-       ½ ounce dried white fungus (about ¼ cup), reconstituted in hot water for about 10 minutes (until soft and expanded), then chopped coarsely after cutting away its hard knobs. In a pinch, you can substitute tree ears, but that would shoot the color scheme.

-       1 teaspoon peanut oil

-       1 large shallot, sliced thin

-       pinches of white pepper

-       1 hot chile, seeded and sliced thinly

-       ¼ lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

-       ¼ lb. cooked crab meat

-       3 cups vietnamese chicken stock, or regular chicken stock simmered with a 1-inch piece ginger that has been crushed with a blow

-       1 generous Tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water

-       1 egg white, lightly whisked

-       salt and white pepper to taste

Garnish:

-       1 Tablespoon cilantro, chopped extra fine; serve hot (piquant) chili sauce on the side (preferably the Vietnamese chili-garlic sauce(Tuong ot Toi Viet-Nam, if you can get it).

Directions

-       Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat, then sauté the shallot and white pepper for about a minute.

-       Stir in the shrimp and cook another minute, flipping after 30 seconds.

-       Add the stock, then stir in the crab and fungus.

-       Bring to a simmer, then thicken with the cornstarch liquid, stirring constantly.

-       When ready to serve, pour in the egg white in a slow, steady stream, stirring slowly to form ribbons.

-       Remove from heat, season with salt and white pepper, and ladle into bowls.

-       At the last minute, sprinkle with the finely minced cilantro--which will open up the flavor of the soup--and put on the table.

-       Pass the chili sauce separately.