This fish soup is a satisfying blend of soft fish, thick broth, and thin rice noodles.
Servings 8people
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Myanmar
Ingredients
For the Fish Broth:
2lbs.white fish (such as cod or tilapia)
1onion, chopped
4cloves garlic, minced
2stalks lemongrass, bruised and chopped
1inchpiece ginger, peeled and sliced
1tbspturmeric powder
2tbspfish sauce
8cupswater
For the Soup:
1onion, chopped
4cloves garlic, minced
2tbspvegetable oil
1tbspturmeric powder
1tspchili flakes (or to taste)
2cupschickpea flour
1lb.rice noodles
4hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
¼cupchopped cilantro
¼cupchopped mint
¼cupchopped scallions
Fried chickpea fritters (optional)
Fried onions and chili oil, for serving
Equipment
Large pot for making fish broth
Fine-mesh sieve for straining broth
Large pan for sautéing onions and garlic
Whisk for mixing chickpea flour slurry
Bowl for mixing chickpea flour slurry
Cutting board & Sharp knife
Serving bowls
Serving bowls
Method
To make the fish broth, combine the fish, onion, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, fish sauce, and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove the fish from the broth and set it aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and discard the solids. Return the broth to the pot and keep it warm on low heat.
Once the fish has cooled, remove any bones and skin and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
In a separate pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
Add the turmeric powder and chili flakes to the pan and stir to combine.
In a bowl, whisk together the chickpea flour and 2 cups of water until smooth. Add the chickpea mixture to the pan and stir continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
Add the fish broth to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the soup has thickened.
Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions and divide them among 8 serving bowls.
Add the shredded fish to the soup and cook for another 2-3 minutes until heated through.
Ladle the soup over the noodles in each bowl. Top with sliced hard-boiled eggs, chopped cilantro, mint, and scallions. Serve with fried chickpea fritters, fried onions, and chili oil on the side.
Prepare the fish broth ahead of time to save time on cooking day.Use a food processor or blender to finely chop the onion, garlic, lemongrass, and ginger for the fish broth.Use pre-cooked and peeled hard-boiled eggs to save time on cooking day.The soup can be made thicker or thinner by adjusting the amount of chickpea flour slurry added to the broth.If the soup is too thick, add more water or fish broth to thin it out.