Lotus Stem Salad with Shrimp (Goi Ngo Sen)

8 ounces cleaned lotus stems, cut into 2-inch lengths

1-1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon coarsely ground peanuts

1/3 cup Fish Sauce Dip

1 tablespoon finely chopped rau ram (polygonum) leaves

1 tablespoon lime juice

3 tablespoons cilantro leaves

6 shrimp crackers

1 teaspoon salt

6 medium shrimp, cooked, peeled, deveined

2 tablespoons fried shallots

In a large bowl, combine lotus stems, rau ram leaves, salt, sugar and lime juice; toss gently. Place on a serving plate. Cut shrimp in half lengthwise and arrange on the salad. Garnish with ground peanuts, cilantro leaves and fried shallots. Serve with Fish Sauce Dip and shrimp crackers.

Crab Soup (Bun Rieu)

2 pounds paddy field or mud crab	3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large tomato, cut in 6 pieces and seeded	8 ounces fried bean curd
2 tablespoon tamarind pulp	1 tablespoon shrimp paste
GARNISH: 1/4 cup cilantro leaves	1/4 cup shredded banana blossom
1/2 cup bean sprouts	1/4 cup mint leaves
1/4 cup ngo gai leaves	1 lime, cut in wedges
water	1 pound rice noodles
2 tablespoons chopped baby leeks	1 red chili, finely sliced
sugar	1/2 cup shredded water spinach
salt

Rinse crabs. Remove the top shell and rinse again, then drain. Place crabs in a large bowl and pound with some salt, add water, stir and strain to obtain crab liquid (use a sieve). Pound crab sediments again and set aside. In a large soup pot, bring crab liquid to a boil. When crab meat floats on the surface, reduce heat to simmer. Clarify liquid and set residue aside (this should form a dense crab patty). In a separate pan, stir-fry the tomatoes with the garlic, baby leeks and fish sauce, then add tamarind pulp and bean curd. Season with sugar, salt and shrimp paste, then add to crab. Simmer for a few minutes. To serve, place rice noodles in a bowl, pour in the soup. Serve with cilantro leaves, banana blossom, chili, bean sprouts, mint leaves, water spinach, ngo gai and a few wedges of lime.

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