Bon Appetit's Aromatic Shrimp and Noodle Medicine Soup

Gotta give Bon Appetit credit for this one - the broth alone is so fragrant and flavorful that I want to keep jars of it on hand to use in ramen at all times. The broth alone takes 1-1.5 hours to simmer, so account for that before you make it. You could pre-prep lots of this though - like making the paste and the broth. I even skipped some steps from BA’s original recipe, like not toasting the spices before adding them to the broth and honestly I don’t think I’d be able to tell the difference.

INGREDIENTS

Broth

• 6 whole cloves

• 6 green cardamom pods

• 4 star anise pods

• 3 dried chiles de árbol

• 2 3-inch cinnamon sticks

• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns

• 1 bunch cilantro

• ¼ red onion, chopped

• 5 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1 Tbsp lemongrass paste

• 1 Tbsp ginger paste

• 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

• Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Paste

• ½ cup cashews

• 1 medium shallot, chopped

• 1 Fresno chile, chopped

• 1 3-inch piece lemongrass, tough outer layer removed, finely chopped

• 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped

• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

• 1 tablespoon shrimp paste with bean oil

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Assembly

• 4 12-ounce packages ramen noodles

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced on a diagonal

• Fresh tender herbs (such as Thai basil, cilantro, and/or mint)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Chili oil, bean sprouts, and lime wedges (for serving)

RECIPE PREPARATION

Broth

• Add broth to a large pot over the oven. Add cloves, caradmom, star anise, chiles, cinnamon, peppercorns, cilantro, red onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and fish sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer until flavors meld, 1–1 ½ hours. Strain into a large bowl, pressing on solids. Return broth to pot.

Paste

• Pulse cashews in a food processor until very finely ground. Add red onion, chile, lemongrass, ginger, brown sugar, and shrimp paste; process until smooth. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium and cook paste, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.

What To Do

• Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain; rinse under cold water. Bring broth to a simmer, add shrimp, and cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Divide noodles among bowls. Add 2 Tbsp. paste to each and ladle broth over; stir to incorporate paste. Top with shrimp, sprouts, scallions, and herbs; season with pepper. Serve with chili oil and lime wedges alongside.