2 each Garlic cloves, smashed (soup)
8 cups unsalted chicken broth (soup)
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (such as Thai Kitchen Anchovy Fish Sauce, found in the International aisle) (soup)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste (optional)
1 teaspoon sugar (soup)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (soup)
4 each plum tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges (soup)
1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (soup)
1/4 cup mint, sliced thin (soup)
1/4 teaspoon Crushed red pepper flakes (soup)
1 tablespoon canola oil (garlic optional garnish)
2 each garlic cloves, very thinly sliced (garlic optional garnish)