Ingredients

• 4 ounces of Pad Thai noodles or rice sticks
• 3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves removed and thinly sliced
• 4 Kaffir lime leaves or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (optional)
• 1-2 jalapeno chilies or to taste
• 6 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons nuoc mam or Thai fish sauce
• 2 large carrots, (6 ounces) peeled and thinly sliced
• 16 shiitake mushrooms (3 oz.), washed, stemmed, and quartered
• 4 green onions, trimmed and sliced thinly on the diagonal
• 4 ounces tat soi or watercress, stems trimmed
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves for garnish
• 4 salmon fillets, skinned, about 6 ounces each
• 1 teaspoon canola oil

Directions

Preheat the grill or broiler. Soak the rice sticks or noodles in hot tap water for 3 minutes or until softened. Drain. Mince the ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, and chilies finely by hand or in a small chopper. Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, and chilies. Season to taste with nuoc mam. Add the carrots, shiitakes, green onions, and the drained noodles. Simmer about 1 minute. Just before serving, stir in tat soi or watercress. Broil the salmon in 3 minutes per side or until the fish turns opaque. Ladle the broth into 4 large soup bowls, dividing the vegetables and noodles evenly. Top with the salmon and garnish with cilantro.