Anchovy Soup with Wood Sorrel

Method

1. 1 Rinse the anchovies in lightly salted water and let them drain; since they are small, there's no need to remove the guts.
2. 2 Sauté the shallots and tomatoes for 4 minutes, then pour in 800 ml of water and bring to a boil.
3. 3 Drop the anchovies into the simmering water and do not stir; stirring will break them into small pieces.
4. 4 Cook for 5 minutes, then add fish sauce.
5. 5 Add the sorrel leaves in the last 60 seconds; sorrel leaves have a slightly sour taste, and cooking them for too long will make them mushy and lose their flavor.
6. 6 Sprinkle with chopped scallions, chili peppers, and black pepper, then turn off the heat immediately.

With an appliance

• Microwave 28 min

  Replace steps 3–5: Add the anchovies to the hot tomato sauce, microwave at 700W for 4 minutes, add the basil leaves and microwave for 30 seconds; reduce to about 90 seconds. The water won't boil vigorously, so the fish will be less likely to break apart and you won't need to stir. Step 2 continues to sauté the tomatoes on the stovetop to create a fragrant base before adding the water.