Burmese Catfish and Lemongrass Noodle Soup with Boiled Eggs

What you need

• 2 tbsp chickpea flour
• 2 tbsp rice flour
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3 cm (1 in) fresh ginger, peeled
• 3 stalks lemongrass, tough outer layers removed
• 1 red chili, seeded for less heat
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1.5 l (6 cups) water
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 6 small shallots, peeled, left whole
• 500 g (1 lb) catfish fillets, or another firm white fish
• 250 g (9 oz) thin rice vermicelli
• 4 eggs
• 1 handful cilantro, leaves and tender stems
• 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 1 handful crispy fried shallots
• 1 tsp chili flakes, to serve

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Toast the chickpea flour in a dry pan over low heat, stirring, until it smells nutty and turns pale gold, 3-4 min. Tip it into a bowl.

2. 2

   Toast the rice flour the same way, then add it to the bowl and let both cool.

3. 3

   Blitz the onion, garlic, ginger, 2 stalks of the lemongrass and the chili to a fine paste in a food processor.

4. 4

   Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the paste, turmeric and paprika and fry, stirring, until it darkens and smells sweet, 6-8 min.

5. 5

   Bruise the last lemongrass stalk with the back of a knife and add it with the water, fish sauce and shallots. Bring to a boil.

6. 6

   Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30 min.

7. 7

   Slide in the catfish and poach until opaque and flaking, 8-10 min. Lift it out onto a plate.

8. 8

   Flake the fish, discarding any skin and bones. Mash the shallots against the side of the pot, then stir them into the broth.

9. 9

   Whisk the toasted flours with 200 ml of cold water until smooth. Stir this into the soup and simmer, stirring often, until the broth thickens, 15 min.

10. 10

    Return the fish to the pot and simmer 5 min more. Remove the lemongrass stalk.

11. 11

    Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 9 min, cool them in cold water, then peel and halve.

12. 12

    Soak the vermicelli in boiling water until soft, 7-10 min, then drain.

13. 13

    Divide the vermicelli among four bowls and ladle the soup over it.

14. 14

    Top with the eggs, cilantro, red onion, fried shallots and chili flakes. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

Imported from asianinspirations.com.au. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.