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Vietnamese Crab And Asparagus Soup - {Sup Mang Tay}

Delicate and moony, this is one of those gorgeous Eurasian hybrids that is neither French nor Vietnamese, but something quite in its own category. French colonialists brought asparagus to Vietnam, but couldn't get it to grow -- so they imported cans and cans of it...and the Vietnamese people got hooked. Although the soup is customarily made with canned white asparagus, I prefer fresh -- and green is even prettier, to my taste.

Courses: Soup
Serves: 4 people

Recipe Ingredients

1 teaspoon 5mlPeanut oil
1/4 lb 113g / 4ozCooked crabmeat - cut bite-size
  Salt - to taste
  Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
5 cups 1185mlVietnamese or regular chicken stock - simmered with
1   Ginger - (1") - that has been
  Crushed
1 tablespoon 15mlCornstarch - dissolved in
2 tablespoons 30mlWater
1 lb 454g / 16ozAsparagus - if using fresh,
  Cut off the tips, slice each spear
  Lengthwise and chop into half-moon shapes
1   Egg white - lightly beaten
  Garnish
1   Green onion - thinly sliced
2 tablespoons 30mlCilantro leaves
  Red wine vinegar

Recipe Instructions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then stir in the crab, salt, and pepper and toss for about 1 minute. Pour in the stock and asparagus and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and cook until the asparagus is tender -- about 5 minutes or more, depending on the thickness of the pieces. Stir in the cornstarch liquid and allow it to thicken the soup for a minute or so.

When ready to serve, slowly pour the egg white into the simmering soup, stirring slowly to create ribbons. Let these set for a minute, then ladle the soup into bowls and top with the green onion and cilantro leaves. Serve piping hot -- and pass the red wine vinegar separately.

Serve hot as a first course to 4 to 6 people. It could be an absolutely sensational start to a perfectly roasted chicken.

Source:
Soup Of The Evening...Beautiful Soup at http://www.soupsong.com

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