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Mohinga (Burmese Fish Noodle Soup)

 



Proudly presenting our national pride

Mohinga is a Burmese fish soup with fermented thin rice noodles. It all starts with making a smooth flavorful broth from extracting natural sweet juices of fleshy fish, ideally catfish, combined with other spices and aromatics.


Waking up to a heavenly waft of mohinga, a quintessential Burmese breakfast and the very definition of comfort food is quite common.  We seldom make mohinga at home because first, it is quite a tedious task that requires many hands for long hours and second, it is conveniently available as early as 6am in every corner of the street, from neighborhood markets to street food stalls and tea houses. The holy aroma trinity of fish sauce, lemongrass, and pepper can effortlessly conjure up anyone's appetite. After an early market run at a morning wet bazaar, my mom and I would grab a bowl of mohinga along with a cup of sweet tea, right beside this big pot on a charcoal stove, boiling aggressively with heavily lemongrass-dosed fish broth. It is not just a delicious bowl of soup that you savor, you also enjoy the sweetest smiles of the vendors, who know all their regulars by name and how they like their soup to be prepared; a large sprinkle of cilantro or a squeeze of lime juice or a tablespoon of dried chili or with lots of fishcakes and a hard-boiled egg. 


The recipe of the soup, toppings, and accompaniments differ from region to region and my favorite ones are those distinctly lemongrass while faintly peppery with significant chunks of fish. 

INGREDIENTS

Fish Stock

  • 2 - 3 lb whole catfish (skin on)

  • 3 lemongrass, smashed and tied together with an outer leaf

  • 6 garlic cloves

  • 1-inch ginger

  • 5 dried red chilies, re-hydrated with hot water

  • 2 whole turmeric roots or 2 tsp turmeric powder

  • 4 tbsp. fish sauce

  • Handful of cilantro (best if roots are intact)

  • 6 cups water


Soup Base

  • 1/4 cup oil

  • 2 lemongrass stalks, sliced

  • 6 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 inch ginger, sliced

  • 2 shallots, diced

  • 2 tsp paprika

  • 2 tbsp fish sauce

 
INSTRUCTIONS

Fish Stock

  • In a large stockpot, add the whole fish, lemongrass, garlic, chilies, cilantro, turmeric, fish sauce, and water.

  • Bring it to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 30 minutes till the fish easily flakes off.

  • Take the fish out of the pot, peel the skin off and filet.

  • Separate the large fillets and small, disintegrated flakes.

  • Save the bones, head, and skin as well as lemongrass, chilies, and turmeric roots.

  • Strain the stock and set aside.



How to make Mohinga (Burmese Fish Noddle Soup)

Place oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add finely chopped chili, turmeric, 
onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, coriander stalks and roots and ngapi, and cook, 
stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until softened.

Stir in tamarind pulp and banana blossom and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes until banana 
blossom has softened. Add chickpea flour, stirring to combine. Add chickpeas, then 
gradually stir in stock and simmer for 10 minutes or until soup has thickened. Add 
drained rice noodles, fish, tomatoes, and fish sauce, and simmer for 5 minutes or until 
noodles and fish are just cooked.

Divide fish noodle soup among 6 serving bowls. Scatter over coriander leaves and 
thinly sliced chili and serve with lime wedges.



 





 

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