VIETNAMESE ALPHABET SOUP

From Katie's Test Kitchen, via chrissstttiiine

Ingredients:

Meat mix:

1 lb ground chicken (beef is traditional)

1 or 2 shallots, diced

2 t sugar

1/2 t ground black pepper

1/2 t ground white pepper

1 T mushroom seasoning (or knorr)

1/2 t salt (omit salt if the mushroom seasoning is salty)

1 T fish sauce

3 T shallot oil

Soup:

(1/2 t salt) Salt to taste, as the mushroom seasoning may have enough salt

1 t sugar

2-3 t mushroom seasoning

12 oz letter pasta, or stelline/pastina, cooked 2 minutes less than package directions, drained

Toppings:

Fried shallots

2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced

Large handful cilantro leaves and stems

Ground black and white pepper

Methodology:

Combine the meat mix well and set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the meat mix and sauté, breaking the meat up, until it's just cooked through.  Add 10 c boiling water, and remaining soup ingredients, and simmer on low 15 minutes.

To serve, add all of pasta to dutch oven, cook to heat through, and serve, topped generously with herbs, shallots and pepper.