Bún tôm – shrimp broth with noodles

Bring 1.5 l of water to a boil in a pot. Peel the shrimp, add the shrimp heads and shells to the water. Boil for 10 minutes, then let the broth reduce over low heat for about another 10 minutes. Strain the broth and add slices of ginger/galangal, lime leaves, fish sauce, and sugar.

Cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces. In a pan with a little vegetable oil, sauté the tomatoes and shrimp with garlic, season with salt and pepper. Set the shrimp aside and add the tomatoes to the broth. Season the broth with salt or fish sauce as needed. Finally, add the lime juice.

Cook the bún noodles according to the instructions (approx. 5-6 minutes). To prevent the noodles from sticking, rinse them with cold water. Before serving, pour hot water over the noodles to warm them up and then drain.