Stuffed Cucumber Soup

1/2 lb Ground pork (or veal)

2 ea Cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2 ts Freshly grated ginger root

1 tb Thai Fish Sauce* (Nam Pla)

1/2 ts Dried Cilantro or 1

-teaspoon fresh (also -called Chinese parsley) 8 ea Green onions, white part

-and 2" of green tops 2 sm Carrots

1 cn Of boiled Quail eggs*

-(drained and rinsed with -fresh tap water) 4 ea Cucumbers (about 8" long)

2 qt Chicken stock

* Available in Oriental -markets.
-PREPARING CUCUMBERS
-

Select cucumbers which are 7 to 8 inches long, but as small around as you can get. Peel the cucumbers and then slice each across into four equal pieces. Using a small spoon scoop out the seeds being careful to leave a "bottom" in each piece. Preparing the meat stuffing: Combine the ground pork, garlic, ginger, Cilantro, 4 of the green onions, and fish sauce. Make a small ball of the mixture and microwave for about a minute to cook thoroughly. Taste for seasoning, and correct if needed. Using your fingers stuff the meat mixture into the cucumbers (stick a toothpick through the side of the cucumber and into the meat to hold it in place while it cooks), and place in the hot stock. Cook about 15 minutes and add the 4 remaining green onions cut in 2" lengths, the two carrots cut into matchsticks and the canned quail eggs. Cook another 5 minutes and serve immediately. Note: If you can manage to keep the soup just barely below the boil your finished soup will be very clear. If that doesn't work out don't worry.....it will taste just as good! Subj: