Vietnam - Watercressed Shrimp Soup (Canh Sa Lach Soan)

Watercressed Shrimp Soup 

(Canh Sa Lach Soan)

This Vietnamese soup is really lovely to look at--I recommend serving in flat soup bowls for the full effect.

In taste, the broth is earthy and sour, with an sea-salt tang, all counterpointed by the sweetness of the shrimp and the peppery crunch of the watercress. In a word, it's an elegant appetite stimulant. Serve hot to 4 people as a first course.

Ingredients

-       1 shallot

-       3 Tablespoons nuoc mam (fish sauce)

-       ¼ teaspoon black pepper

-       ¼ pound large shrimp (about 12), peeled and deveined, shells reserved for the broth

-       6 cups Vietnamese chicken stock (or regular chicken stock simmered with a 1-inch piece of smashed ginger root)

-       1½ bunches watercress, chopped into manageable pieces for eating (it's traditional to leave whole, but what a mess!)

Directions

-       Pound the shallot into a paste, then mix in the nuoc mam and the pepper.

-       Toss in the shrimp and pound the paste into them--they should stay whole.

-       Heat the stock in a large saucepan to a boil, then stir in the reserved shrimp shells, reduce to medium heat, and cook for about 8 minutes.

-       Fish out the shells with a strainer spoon.

-       When ready to serve, reheat the stock to a boil.

-       Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute.

-       Toss in the watercress, and cook for another minute.

-       Ladle into bowls and serve immediately.