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Cellophane Noodle And Vegetable Soup
(Kaeng Chud Woon Sen)
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| What You Need: |
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½ cup dried tiger lily buds (see Glossary)
2 tablespoons dried cloud ears (see Glossary)
2 ounces cellophane noodles (see Glossary)
½ pound small uncooked shrimp (at least 30 to the pound)
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander roots
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and cut lengthwise into ½-inch-wide strips
¼ pound pork shoulder, cut into strips 1 inch by ½ inch
2 quarts boiling water
5 small scallions cut into 3-inch lengths
3 tablespoons fish's gravy (see Glossary)
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Japanese soy sauce
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon finely cut fresh coriander leaves
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| How To Cook: |
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1. In a deep bowl, combine the tiger lily buds and cloud ears, and cover them with 4 cups of warm water. In a separate bowl, cover the cellophane noodles with 2 cups of cold water. Soak for 30 minutes; then drain and discard the water.
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2. Wash the drained lily buds and cloud ears under cold running water. Then cut away and discard the hard ends of the lily buds and tie a knot in the center of each. If the cloud ears are large, cut them into ½-inch pieces. Cut the noodles into ½-inch-long pieces.
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3. Meanwhile, shell the shrimp. Then devein them by making a shallow incision down their backs with a small, sharp knife and lifting out the intestinal vein with the point of the knife. Wash the shrimp under cold water and set them aside on paper towels to drain.
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4. With a mortar and pestle, or in a small bowl with the back of a spoon, mash the garlic, coriander roots and pepper to a smooth paste.
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5. To make the soup, heat the oil in a heavy 4- to 6-quart casserole over moderate heat until a light haze forms above it. Drop in the onions and, stirring frequently, cook for about 5 minutes until they are soft and transparent but not brown.
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6. Watch carefully for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly. Stir in the garlic mixture, and then add the pork and shrimp. Stirring constantly, cook for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink.
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7. Pour in the 2 quarts of boiling water and add the lily buds, cloud ears and noodles. Bring to a boil again, and then stir in the scallion tops, fish's gravy, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the soy sauce.
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8. Taste for seasoning and add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar if you prefer the soup sweet as the Thais do. Stirring constantly, slowly pour the beaten eggs in a thin stream into the boiling soup. They will instantly form firm threads. Remove from the heat immediately lest the eggs overcook.
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9. Serve at once from a heated tureen or in individual soup plates. Just before serving, garnish the soup with the coriander leaves.
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