Crab Dumpling and Rice Vermicelli Soup

• 1/2 pound thin rice vermicelli
• 1/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 5 eggs, lightly beaten
• 8 ounces fresh or canned lump crab meat, picked over and drained
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 4 scallions, 2 thinly sliced and 2 minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon chili paste
• 4 plum tomatoes, quartered
• 5 1/2 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
• 4 tablespoons bottled fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 4 large Boston lettuce leaves, shredded
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped, for garnish
• Coriander sprigs for garnish
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 4 chili peppers, thinly sliced

1. Cook the noodles and set aside.
2. Using a food processor or mortar and pestle, pound the shrimp very fine.
3. Put the eggs in a bowl and beat in the shrimp, crab meat and pepper to taste.
4. Refrigerate.
5. In a large pot, heat the oil and saute the shallots, garlic and sliced scallions until fragrant.
6. Add the tomato paste and chili paste and cook for 1 minute.
7. Add the tomatoes and cook for another minute.
8. Add the chicken broth, fish sauce and sugar.
9. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat until it is barely simmering.
10. Slide the crab-meat and egg mixture carefully into the soup.
11. Cover the pot and simmer gently for 5 minutes, or until the mixture is slightly firm and floats.
12. Sprinkle with pepper.
13. Divide the noodles among 4 soup bowls, top each with the shredded lettuce, a few bean sprouts and the minced scallions, and ladle the soup over.
14. Garnish with the mint and coriander.
15. Serve with lemon and chili peppers on the side).

thin rice vermicelli, shrimp, eggs, crab meat, freshly ground pepper, vegetable oil, shallots, garlic, scallions, tomato paste, chili paste, tomatoes, chicken broth, fish sauce, sugar, boston lettuce leaves, fresh bean sprouts, mint, coriander sprigs, lemon, chili peppers

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10260 (may not work)