How to make Mohinga

Ingredients

• 500 g white fish fillets, such as catfish, cod or haddock
• 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
• 1.5 litres water
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3 tablespoons chickpea flour (gram flour)
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 cm fresh ginger, grated
• 1 teaspoon paprika or mild chilli powder
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 400 g thin rice noodles (rice vermicelli)
• To serve: 4 hard-boiled eggs, lime wedges, fresh coriander, crisp fried onions and chilli flakes

Method

1. Put the fish, lemongrass and half the turmeric in a large pan with the water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Lift out the fish, flake it with a fork and keep the broth.
2. Toast the chickpea flour and rice flour in a dry frying pan over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until they smell nutty and turn light brown. Whisk them into 250 ml of cold water to make a smooth paste.
3. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the onions, garlic and ginger over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until soft and golden. Stir in the rest of the turmeric, the paprika and the flaked fish and fry for 2 more minutes.
4. Tip the fish mixture into the broth with the fish sauce. Whisk in the flour paste and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the soup thickens a little. Remove the lemongrass and taste for salt.
5. Cook the noodles as the packet says, drain them and divide them between four bowls.
6. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles and top with halved eggs, coriander and fried onions. Serve with lime wedges and chilli flakes on the side.