I had this dish in a noodle shop in Australia. When I asked the Thai owner for the recipe, he had an odd reaction; out of nowhere this little guy pulls out a karate move and takes a swing at me. In the end, he chased me out of the kitchen with a cleaver, but not before I swiped the recipe. It was worth it. If you are not able to get your hands on kaffir lime leaves, up the lemongrass to 4 stalks. But do make the effort to try to find them in your area or look for them on the Internet; there really is no substitute for their amazing flavor.

Ingredients

　　24 large shrimp (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), tails on

　　3 quarts Chicken Stock (page 156)

　　2-inch piece fresh ginger, whacked open with the flat side of a knife

　　2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, whacked open with the flat side of a knife

　　6 kaffir lime leaves

　　2 tablespoons brown sugar

　　1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce (nam pla)

　　2 teaspoons chili paste, such as sambal

　　Juice of 1 lime

　　1 bunch asparagus, bottoms removed, split lengthwise

　　1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced

　　1 (1 1/2-ounce) package cellophane noodles, blanched for 2 minutes in salted boiling water

　　Chopped peanuts, fresh cilantro leaves, and fresh mint leaves, for garnish

　　Peel and devein the shrimp. Set the shrimp aside and put the shrimp shells in a soup pot with the chicken stock. Add the ginger, lemongrass, and lime leaves to the pot; this is the flavor base. Stir in the brown sugar, fish sauce, chili paste, and lime juice. Let the soup simmer for 10 minutes, until your kitchen smells amazing. Strain the broth into another pot to remove the solid pieces; then add the shrimp, asparagus, and mushrooms. Poach in the simmering soup for 5 minutes. Divide the cooked noodles among dinner bowls, ladle the soup on top, and finish with the peanuts, cilantro, and mint. Banging, baby!

　　Reprinted with permission from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen by Tyler Florence. © 2003 Clarkson Potter