Vietnamese Spicy & Sour Soup

This is a recipe that I have had for many years and for the life of me, cannot remember where I got it. But I do remember that it tastes very much like the soup I adored from South Vietnam, a small Kingston, Ontario Vietnamese restaurant. This is one of those foods that is great during the winter or also great when one feels the start of the cold. And by the way, don't skip the coriander leaves as garnish, they really add to the soup!

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 450  g medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 5  ml cornstarch, for dusting
• 45  ml  peanut oil
• 1 1⁄2 liters  chicken stock
• 30  ml tamarind paste
• 80  ml water
• 2  stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 350  g pineapple, fresh, peeled and cubed
• 1  large tomatoes, chopped
• 250  ml okra, thinly sliced
• 2  red chilies, thinly sliced
• 200  g bean sprouts
• 30  ml Thai fish sauce
• 10  ml ginger, thinly sliced
• 1  garlic clove, crushed and roughly chopped
• 20  ml sugar
• 2  ml salt
• 2  shallots, minced
• 125  ml fresh coriander leaves

Directions

1. Whisk tamarind with 80 ml water and set aside.
2. Dust shrimp with cornstarch. Heat 30 ml/2 tbsp of oil in large frying pan over medium heat and stir-fry shrimp just until pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In large saucepan, heat stock and tamarind juice over medium heat. Add celery, pineapple, tomato, okra, ginger, garlic and chilies; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; add sprouts. Stir in fish sauce, sugar and salt.
4. Heat remaining 15 ml/1 tbsp oil in frying pan and stir-fry shallots until golden, taking care not to burn, about four minutes.
5. Add shrimp to soup, stirring to combine. Remove from heat and serve, garnished with shallots and fresh cilantro. Serves 6-8.
6. Note: Try to use fresh pineapple, not canned, for this dish. It makes all the difference.