Sour Fish Head Soup

Ingredients
Amount	Ingredient
2	Scallions, white part only, crushed with the side of a knife
Some	Freshly ground black pepper
2 tb Plus 4 ts	fish sauce (nuoc mam)
1 lg	Fish head or fish carcass, split down the center
2 ts	Salt
1 qt	Water
1/2 cup	Canned sliced sour bamboo
1/4	Fresh pineapple, cut in a lengthwise section and sliced
1 d	MSG (optional)
2 tb	Mixed chopped fresh coriander (Chinese parsley)
1	Scallion green

Directions

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil and drop in the sour bamboo and pineapple slices. Cook at a lively boil for 5 minutes. Drop fish head into the actively boiling water and, keeping at a boil, add the 2 tablespoons fish sauce, remaining teaspoon salt, and a dash of MSG. Boil the fish head for a total of 10 minutes. Transfer to a soup tureen, sprinkle on the coriander and scallion green, and serve.
NOTE: If the fish head is dropped into water that is not boiling, it will fall apart.