6-year-old’s note today: 

“If I were a grown up for the day, I would work at the World Bank”

Yes!

Fish paste noodle soup (Bun mam)

(Adapted loosely from Eva)

1 can fish paste
20 jumbo shrimps with heads (if no heads, use 1 lb pork bones or ribs)
2 lemongrass stalks (cut into 2″ length)
1 lemongrass stalk (finely minced)
4 garlic cloves (minced)
1 shallot (minced)
1 small eggplant (cubed)
4 squid bodies (sliced)
2 white fish fillets (cubed)
2 lb roasted pork (sliced, recipe here)
Salt, fish sauce, canola oil
Vietnamese herbs
Cooked noodle

1. Boil water in a large pot, add fish paste and cook until soft. Strain and set aside.
2. In the same pot, boil water with shrimp heads and peels (or pork bone/ribs) for about an hour.
3. Discard shrimp heads and peels.
4. Add 2 lemongrass stalks and simmer.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat about 3 tbs canola oil, fry garlic until slightly golden.
6. Add minced shallot, fry until fragrant.
7. Add minced lemongrass.
8. Add eggplant and splash of fish sauce. Fry for about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
9. When broth boils, season with salt and fish sauce.
10. Poach fish, shrimp, and squid in boiling broth. Set aside.
11. Add fried eggplants mixture into the broth.
12. To serve, put cooked noodle in a bowl, place some fish pieces, squid, shrimps, roasted pork slices, and eggplants. Add hot broth. Serve with herbs.