Sup Mang Tay Cua (Asparagus Crab Soup)

http://www.elook.org/recipes/asian/12588.html

Yield 6 - 8 servings.

Ingredients:

• 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

Instructions:

• Bring water to a boil and put the pork bones in.
• Remove the scum.
• 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.