Recipe - Vietnamese Hot-And-Sour Shrimp Soup

1 teaspoon Corn oil
2 tablespoon Shallots; minced
2 Stalks lemongrass
1 lg Tomato
One half pound Button mushrooms; thinly
cut or sliced up
1 One half teaspoon Sugar
5 cup Water
One half pound Medium shrimp
5 One half tablespoon Fish sauce
3 tablespoon Fresh lime juice
One fourth pound Very thin rice stick noodles
1 One half cup Bean sprouts
One half teaspoon Crushed red pepper
2 tablespoon Scallion greens; finely
minced

Trimn lemongrass stalks remove wilted or tough outer leaves. Cut into
2inch lengths, and smash with the flat side of a knife.

Core and seed the tomato, and cut into 1/4inchthick wedges.

Peel, score down the back and devein the shrimp. Rinse well.

Soften the rice noodle sticks in hot water and drain.

Heat a heavy pot or casserole over mediumhigh heat. Add the oil and heat
until hot, about 30 seconds. Add the shallots and lemongrass and stirfry
for about 15 seconds. Add the tomato, mushrooms, and sugar and stirfry for
about 1 minute. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium
and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.

Add the shrimp, fish sauce, lime juice, and noodles and simmer for anout 2
minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and the noodles are tender. Using
tongs, remove and discard the lemongrass. Add the bean sprouts and crushed
red pepper, bring to a boil, and cook for about 1 minutes, or until heated
through. Ladle into soup bowls, sprinkle with the scallions, and serve.

Makes 6