Vietnamese Tomato Soup
By: Andrea  Sperling
Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009 - 6:15am

Ingredients




2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes
28 ounces can crushed tomatoes
1 pound stalk of lemongrass, (use  only the inner yellow section) and  it so the 
1 inch thick slice of fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced thinly
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons nuoc nam sauce (Fish sauce)
Juice of 1 lime

1 quart organic chicken broth
Cilantro for garnish

Salt and pepper






Preparation

1 Heat the oil in a large soup pot. 2 Add the sliced shallots in the vegetable oil and cook until softened. 3 Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and stir for one minute. 4 Add the crushed tomatoes and the lemongrass stalk, fresh ginger, sugar and nuoc nam sauce and stir. 5 Add in the chicken broth. 6 Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 15 minutes. 7 Add juice of one lime and stir. 8 Add salt and pepper to taste. Taste and add more nuoc nam if necessary. 9 Variation:  Add soft tofu, cut into cubes during the last five minutes when the soup is simmering. 








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Preparation

 1  Heat the oil in a large soup pot.  2  Add the sliced shallots in the vegetable oil and cook until softened.  3  Add the garlic, red pepper flakes and stir for one minute.  4  Add the crushed tomatoes and the lemongrass stalk, fresh ginger, sugar and nuoc nam sauce and stir.  5  Add in the chicken broth.  6  Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 15 minutes.  7  Add juice of one lime and stir.  8  Add salt and pepper to taste. Taste and add more nuoc nam if necessary.  9  Variation:  Add soft tofu, cut into cubes during the last five minutes when the soup is simmering.

About


I had a variation of this soup on a trip to Hoi An, Vietnam. It was like an Italian Tomato Soup with a Vietnamese twist. In southern Vietnam, they often cook with tomatoes. Variations include adding soft tofu to the soup, cut into cubes, or a few tablespoons of heavy cream.
Serve with crusty french bread.