Hot and Sour Fish Soup

• 1 tablespoon corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 shallots, sliced
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled, shells reserved
• 6 cups fish or chicken stock, preferably homemade (page 161 or 160), or water
• 3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, smashed, and cut into 2-inch lengths (page 143)
• One 3-inch piece fresh galangal or ginger, sliced and smashed
• 4 fresh chiles, or to taste, preferably Thai, stemmed, seeded, and chopped, or hot red pepper flakes to taste
• 4 lime leaves, preferably fresh, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated lime zest
• 1 cup trimmed and sliced button mushrooms
• 1 cup fresh or canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained if canned,
• 2 tablespoons nam pla
• 1 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves or scallion for garnish
• Lime wedges

1. Put the oil in a large saucepan and turn the heat to medium.
2. A minute later, add the garlic and shallots and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the reserved shrimp shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn pink, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the stock, lemongrass, galangal, chiles, lime leaves, and lime zest; turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
5. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.
6. Carefully strain the stock; return it to the saucepan and bring to a boil.
7. Add the shrimp and turn the heat to low; cook until the shrimp turn pink, 3 to 5 minutes.
8. Add the mushrooms and bamboo shoots and simmer for another minute.
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the nam pla, lime juice, and sugar.
10. Stir, taste and adjust the seasoning, then garnish with cilantro or scallion and serve with the lime wedges.

corn, garlic, shallots, shrimp, fish, stalks, fresh galangal, fresh chiles, lime, lime zest, button mushrooms, bamboo shoots, lime juice, sugar, cilantro, wedges

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/hot-and-sour-fish-soup-385849 (may not work)