Vietnamese Sweet-Sour Shrimp Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp (optional)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
• 1 tablespoon salad oil
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon Asian chili paste or hot chili flakes
• 5 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
• 1 pound (30 to 35 per lb.) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed
• 1 cup pineapple chunks (3/4 in.)
• 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla) or reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup lime juice (6 tablespoons if you don't use tamarind pulp)
• 2 Roma tomatoes (6 oz. total), rinsed, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
• 2 cups (6 oz.) bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai or anise basil (rau hung que) or regular basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped rice-paddy herb (ngo om) or fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh Thai (hang prik) or serrano chilies

Preparation

1. 1. In a bowl, combine tamarind pulp and 1/3 cup hot water. Let cool, rub pulp off seeds, and press mixture through a fine strainer into another small bowl; discard seeds.
2. 2. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium heat, stir shallots with oil until golden and crisp, 3 to 6 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on towels.
3. 3. Add garlic and chili paste to pan and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add broth, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat.
4. 4. Add shrimp, pineapple, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and reserved tamarind pulp. Cook, uncovered, just until shrimp turns pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. 5. With a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp and pineapple to wide soup bowls. Stir tomatoes, bean sprouts, basil, and rice-paddy herb into hot broth.
6. 6. Ladle soup mixture into bowls and sprinkle with fried shallots. Add chopped chilies to taste.