Well, I am impressed.

Lots of regional variation on this dish, but pretty delicious anywhere you go. I like mine with plenty of lemongrass... Mmm mmm!

Couple of suggestions...

Make your own stocks. Never use store-bought stocks in an Asian recipe. For chicken, use bones... back, ribcage, neck, wings. For fish, use fish bones and heads. For beef, use beef bones. Start with cold water, don't roast the bones, add the aromatics appropriate for the end use you have in mind. These could be onions, scallions, leeks, ginger, daikon radish, cilantro stems or roots, sometimes carrot, peppercorns, etc. Keep in mind you won't use all of these in a single stock. If you're making stock for special soups, like the beef pho from Vietnam, you may need some spices as well. Cooking times can be from a half hour to several hours, depending on your end goal. Skim them, degrease them, like ordinary stocks. Simmer, don't boil.

Secondly, skip the prepared pastes and sauces. No decent Asian cook will use them. Use only fresh ingredients. If a recipe calls for a paste or sauce, make your own.

JR