ແກງໜໍ່ໄມ້ສົ້ມໃສ່ເປັດ/ Pickled bamboo shoot soup (gaeng naw mai som sai bpet)

Ingredients
•    1.5 kg wet weight (2½ lb) for pickled bamboo shoots
•    12 C stock or water 
•    2 stalks lemongrass
•    8 green and yellow-turning chillies 
•    1 kg (2 lb) meaty duck pieces (or half a duck carcass including the head) 
•    ½ C oil 
•    1 head garlic, cloves peeled and roughly smashed 
•    1 t stock powder 
•    1 t salt or less. Add salt with care as the bamboo shoots already contain a great deal as a preservative.
•    Additional 2 t chicken stock powder (optional); use only if not using liquid stock or omit altogether and flavour with salt to taste 
•    1 bunch basil (pak i tou Lao), leaves removed from stems just before using 
•    1 C spring onions greens, chopped just before using
Halve the recipe to serve four generously.

Method 
1.    Firmly squeeze the juice out of the pickled bamboo shoots and place the drained bamboo shoots in a large pot. Add the stock or water. Bring to the boil.
2.    Remove the outer hard leaves of the lemongrass. String the chillies parallel to each other on a toothpick. Roast the lemongrass and the chillies in the flames of a charcoal fire or over a gas flame until blackened. Remove from the heat and cool. Remove the blackened skin of the lemongrass. Bruise the lemongrass with the back of a knife. Dust off any black flakes from the chillies. Add the lemongrass and the chillies to the boiling stock.
3.    Clean the duck and chop into 5 cm (2 in) pieces. See note on preparing duck for soup, page 65. 
4.    Heat the oil in a hot wok. Toss in the garlic, frying for 15 seconds. Add the duck, the first 1 teaspoon of stock powder and 1 teaspoon of salt. Fry until golden brown, about 10 minutes. 
5.    After the bamboo shoots have boiled 20 minutes, add the additional stock powder, if using, and the browned duck pieces. Continue simmering until the flavours have developed and the duck is tender. Time will vary. A duck carcass takes about 1 hour; duck breast and other meaty bits would take less time, roughly 35 – 45 minutes.
6.    Taste the soup and add salt if necessary. The final flavour should be slightly fermented, hot, sour and salty, but rounded by the clear meat stock. Stir in the basil leaves and chopped spring onions. Allow to sit for a few minutes before transferring to serving bowls. 
Variations 
•Use chicken or pork instead of duck.

Add Kaffir lime leaves for better taste

Most of information comes from Food from Northern Laos (The Boat Landing Cookbook)
Video by Hello Asian