Hot-and-Sour Shrimp and Lemon Grass Soup

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, with shells reserved
• 4 cups water
• 3 stalks fresh lemon grass, green tops trimmed off and reserved, white bulb pounded flat and cut into 1-inch lengths
• 1 15-ounce can straw mushrooms, drained
• 1 small tomato, cut into thin wedges
• 1 large scallion, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup bottled fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• 1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon chili oil
• 4 cups cooked white rice

1. In a saucepan, cover the shrimp shells with 4 cups water.
2. Add the lemon grass tops and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Remove, strain the broth and return it to the saucepan.
4. Add the mushrooms, lemon grass pieces and tomato.
5. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 4 minutes.
6. Add the shrimp and simmer until they are opaque, about 2 minutes.
7. Pour into a tureen.
8. Stir in the scallion, bean sprouts, lime zest and juice, pepper, fish sauce, chili flakes and chili oil.
9. Serve with the rice.

shrimp, water, lemon grass, straw mushrooms, tomato, scallion, mung bean sprouts, lime zest, lime juice, freshly ground pepper, fish sauce, dried chili flakes, chili oil, white rice

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10258 (may not work)