---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: ASPARAGUS CRAB SOUP (SUP MANG TAY CUA)
  Categories: Vietnamese, Soups, Ceideburg 2
       Yield: 6 servings
  
   2 1/2 qt Water
       2 lb Pork bones
       2 ts Salt
       1 tb Fish sauce (nuoc mam)
       1 ts Vegetable oil
       1    Clove garlic, chopped
       2    Shallots or
       2    Scallions, chopped white
            -part
     1/2 lb Crab meat, fresh, frozen,
            -or canned
     1/4 ts Freshly ground black pepper
       2 ts Cornstarch dissolved in
       2 tb Water
       1    Egg
       1 cn (15 ounces) white
            -asparagus, undrained
     1/4 c  Chopped fresh coriander
            -(Chinese parsley)
     1/4 c  Chopped scallion greens
  
   The French introduced asparagus to the Vietnamese, who promptly
   incorporated this classic vegetable into their cuisine.  The
   Vietnamese word for asparagus is “Western bamboo,” due to its
   resemblance to bamboo shoots. asparagus is universally popular
   throughout Vietnam, this light, tasty dish will delight your family
   as well.
   
   Bring water to a boil and put the pork bones in.  Remove the scum,
   then cover and continue to boil the bones for 1 hour.  Remove the
   bones from the stock and discard.  Add the salt and the fish sauce to
   the stock.
   
   Heat the oil and add the chopped garlic and shallots; add the crab
   meat and fry for 5 minutes over high heat.  Sprinkle with 1/8
   teaspoon of black pepper, stirring constantly, then add the crab meat
   mixture to the soup and bring to a boil.  Add the
   cornstarch-and-water mixture and stir for a few minutes.
   
   Break the egg open and drop it into the actively boiling soup while
   stirring.  Cook, still stirring, for about 2 minutes, then drop in the
   asparagus, along with the liquid from the can and the rest of the
   black pepper.  Continue to cook until the asparagus is heated through.
   
   Sprinkle the coriander and scallion green over the soup before
   serving.
   
   Makes 6 to 8 servings.
   
   From “The Classic Cuisine of Vietnam”, Bach Ngo and Gloria Zimmerman,
   Barron’s, 1979.
   
   Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; May 24 1993.
  
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