Mohinga

Instructions

1. 1 Poach the fish fillets in two litres of water with the bruised lemongrass and one tablespoon of fish sauce for fifteen minutes until the flesh flakes easily. Remove the fish and reserve the broth. Flake the fish finely, discarding any bones and skin.
2. 2 Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the sliced onion until golden, about six minutes, then add the garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Stir constantly for two minutes until the aromatics are deeply fragrant and the oil turns golden.
3. 3 Pour the reserved fish broth into the pot through a fine strainer to remove the lemongrass. Add the remaining fish sauce and bring to a gentle boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning, aiming for a savoury, aromatic broth with depth and complexity.
4. 4 Whisk the chickpea flour with half a cup of water until smooth, then pour it into the simmering broth while stirring constantly. This thickens the soup to its characteristic slightly viscous consistency that clings to the noodles beautifully.
5. 5 Add the flaked fish and optional sliced banana stem to the thickened broth. Simmer for ten more minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally, allowing all the flavours to meld together into a unified, deeply savoury fish chowder.
6. 6 Cook the rice vermicelli noodles in a separate pot of boiling water for three minutes until tender, then drain and divide among deep serving bowls. Ladle the hot fish broth generously over the noodles, ensuring each bowl gets plenty of flaked fish.
7. 7 Garnish each bowl with halved hard-boiled eggs, fried shallots, fresh cilantro leaves, and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with chilli flakes and extra fish sauce on the side so diners can adjust the heat and seasoning to their preference.