Thai-Style Tomato Soup with Shrimp and Rice Noodles

This recipe serves:  6

2 ounces dried, thin rice vermicelli noodles
7 cups low-sodium chicken broth simmered with shrimp shells for 5 to 10 minutes
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce, or to taste
1 tablespoon Asian chile-garlic sauce, or to taste
3 cups canned, diced tomatoes in juice
1 cup green onions, sliced diagonally and thinly
2 teaspoons hot pepper sesame oil, or to taste
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
3 tablespoons finely sliced garlic, crisply fried in vegetable oil*
1. Place the rice noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water and soak until softened, 20-25 minutes. Drain the noodles and dump them in a tangle on a cutting board and cut through crosswise and lengthwise to form roughly 3 to 4-inch lengths.

2. Strain the shrimp shells from the chicken broth, return the broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Stir in the fish sauce, chile-garlic sauce, tomatoes with their juice, green onions and hot sesame oil. Add the noodles and shrimp and simmer for a minute or two.

3. To serve, ladle into warm bowls and top with cilantro and crisp garlic. Serve immediately.

*Garlic can be fried up to a day ahead and stored in an airtight container. To fry garlic, heat 1/4-inch or so of oil over moderate heat. Add garlic and slowly cook until golden brown. It should take 2 to 3 minutes. If the oil is too hot, the garlic will burn and become bitter so try a "tester" slice first.

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups soup with noodles and shrimp

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