Thai Shrimp-Coconut Soup with Mango Cucumber Salad

Prepare salad: In a screw-top jar, combine rice vinegar, basil, canola oil, brown sugar, Asian chili sauce (or Sriracha) and salt. Cover and shake well. In a medium bowl, combine chopped mango and sliced cucumber. Drizzle with vinegar mixture. Set aside.

Prepare soup: Thaw shrimp if frozen. Peel and devein shrimp. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside. Cook rice noodles according to package directions; set aside.

In a 4-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and lemongrass; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and red curry paste. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until fragrant.

Stir chicken stock, coconut milk, brown sugar and fish sauce into onion mixture. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in reserved shrimp and mushrooms. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes more or until shrimp are opaque. Stir in lime juice.

To serve, divide reserved rice noodles among six serving bowls. Ladle soup over rice noodles. If desired, garnish with cilantro and chile peppers. Serve with Mango Cucumber Salad.