Sour baby clam tamarind soup (canh hến)

Directions

1. Wash the mussels, cook them in the water until they open, drain them, keeping the water, and then shuck them. ⏱ ≈ 10 min
2. Let the cooking liquid cool, and then separate out the clear portion. ⏱ ≈ 20 min
3. Boil the tamarind, crush it, and extract its juice; slice the tomatoes thinly; finely chop the shallots and the lemongrass separately. ⏱ ≈ 10 min
4. Brown the chopped leek in the bacon, add the mussels, season, and set aside in a bowl. ⏱ ≈ 7 min
5. Sauté the shallots until they are lightly browned, then add the tomatoes and cook until softened; add the mussels for about 1 minute. ⏱ 1 min
6. Pour the in the cooking liquid and tamarind juice, bring to a boil and adjust the seasoning. ⏱ ≈ 10 min
7. Remove from the heat and add the cilantro and chopped chives. ≈ 3 min