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Fish Soup with Rice Noodles and Condiments
If you have trouble finding some of the ingredients for this dish, there are some easy substitutions you can make, and you will still end up with the same delicious results. For the tamarind, make a paste out of lemon juice and dried dates, or use 1/2 cup cider vinegar mixed with 1 Tbsp sugar. For the galangal, use fresh ginger. For the lemon grass, use the rind of 4 small lemons.
Ingredients
At a glance
Cuisine
Main Ingredient
Difficulty Level
Tidings Eats
Serves
8
1/2 cup unsalted tamarind paste
1-1/2 cups water (if using tamarind)
2 onions, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil
8 thin slices dry galangal
4 stalks fresh lemon grass, tough leaves trimmed off, stalks lightly crushed
8 cups chicken broth
1 to 1-1/2 tsp cayenne
4 lbs white-flesh fish fillets, cut into 1 inch chunks, bones removed
Cooked rice noodles (recipe follows)
1 cucumber, cut lengthwise into quarters, then thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
4 to 6 fresh red or green chilies, stemmed and seeded, cut into thin slivers
3 or 4 limes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, cut into thin slivers
Cooked Rice Noodles
1 lb dry rice noodles
Method/Steps
1. In a bowl, break tamarind into chunks; add water and let stand until pulp is soft, about 20 minutes. Rub paste off seeds.
2. In a large pan, combine oil, onions, galangal slices and lemon grass. Cook, stirring over medium heat, until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add broth and cayenne. Cover and bring to boiling over high heat.
3. Add fish, cover and simmer until fish is opaque in thickest part, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Pour tamarind liquid through a fine strainer into a bowl, pressing liquid from seeds and fibres. Add to fish mixture, to taste. Remove from heat.
5. Offer soup with noodles and condiments: cucumber, shallots, chilies, lime and mint. Place noodles in a bowl and pour soup over them; add a selection of condiments.
Cooked Rice Noodles
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles, stir to loosen and boil, uncovered, until noodles are barely tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Drain. When cool, lift small handfuls and coil them onto a platter.
Wine and Spirits Match
Enjoy with a chilled glass of Gewürztraminer.