Ingredients
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches ginger root, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks or grated
1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps (a couple of cups), sliced
1 medium bok choy, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut into sticks lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup seafood stock, available on soup aisle or 1 cup clam juice
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound vermicelli (thin spaghetti)
4 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise into thin sticks
Directions
Heat a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, three turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and bok choy, then season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice. Put a lid on the pot and bring soup to a boil.
Add shrimp and noodles and cook for three minutes. Add in scallions and cook two minutes, then turn off soup and let it sit 2-3 minutes more. Adjust salt to taste and serve.