Vietnamese Tomato And Lemongrass Soup

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 shallots thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper flakes red chilli
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 1 pound lemongrass
• 1 inch fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons sauce nuoc nam, fish sauce
• 1 lime
• 1 quart organic chicken broth
• cilantro for garnish
• salt
• pepper

1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot.
2. Add the sliced shallots in the vegetable oil until softened.
3. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and stir for one minute.
4. Add the crushed tomatoes and the lemongrass stalk, fresh ginger, sugar and nuoc nam sauce and stir.
5. Add the chicken broth.
6. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Add juice of one lime and stir.
8. Remove the lemongrass stalks and add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add more nuoc nam and red pepper flakes if necessary.
10. Variation: Add soft tofu, cut into cubes during the last five minutes when the soup is simmering.

vegetable oil, shallots, garlic, pepper, tomatoes, lemongrass, ginger root, sugar, nuoc, lime, chicken broth, cilantro, salt, pepper

Taken from www.yummly.com/recipe/Vietnamese-Tomato-And-Lemongrass-Soup-1675284 (may not work)