Heat the oil in a large stockpot until shimmering. Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Stir in a generous pinch of salt and saute until softened. Stir in the shrimp paste and saute for about a minute more.
1 tbsp neutral oil, 2 shallots, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 1 tbsp shrimp paste
Pour the water into the pot and add the lemongrass, shiitakes, chilis, and clam juice. Bring the mixture up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes.
6 cups water, 1 lemongrass stalk, 6-7 dried shiitake mushrooms, 2-6 Thai red chilies **, 1 (236 ml, 8 fl oz) bottle clam juice
Once the 30 minutes have passed, strain the stock. Remove the shiitakes and discard the remaining solids Return the soup to the pot and stir in the fish sauce and honey. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired. Finish the broth with the lime juice and thinly slice the shiitakes. Set them aside.
3 tbsp fish sauce, 1½ tbsp honey, 1 lime
When the soup is in the last 10 minutes of it simmering time, place the rice noodles in a large bowl and cover them with a kettle's worth of recently boiled water. Cover the bowl and leave the noodle to soak for 5-10 minutes.
454g (1lb) rice noodles
Once the noodles are tender, drain them and divide them across four large bowls. Cover the noodles with the broth and add 3-4 fish cakes to each bowl. Top the soup with the shiitake slices, Thai basil leaves, red onion, cilantro, and scallions. Serve immediately with limes wedges and cold beer.
1 batch Thai Fish Cakes, ½ red onion, 2 scallions, fresh Thai basil leaves, fresh cilantro, lime wedges