Soup
1.5 lbs tilapia
9 tbsp fish sauce
1 inch piece ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 tbsp chickpea flower
2 white onions, chopped
6 tbsp canola oil
3 stalks lemongrass
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp turmeric
3 tsp dashi powder
Plating
2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 bunch cilantro
1 lb rice noodles, softened in cold water
Serves Four Total Time: 45 minutes
In a large pot, bring eight cups of water to boil along with three tablespoons fish sauce and the dashi powder. Meanwhile cut each lemongrass stalk
in half. Thinly slice the lighter sections and cut the darker sections into large pieces and pound with a mortar to release
the flavor, but keep pieces intact. Drop the pounded sections into the broth. Add in the tilapia and simmer in the broth for about
9 minutes.
Meanwhile in large pan over medium-high heat, add the canola oil, onion, ginger, garlic and sliced lemongrass. Cook for about
six minutes then add in the paprika, turmeric and one tablespoon fish sauce. Cook for another six minutes.
Remove the tilapia from the broth and add to the onion mixture, breaking up the fish as it is stirred with the rest
of the sauce. Cook over medium-high heat for another eight minutes, stirring regularly. Add a pinch of salt, then add the fish and onion mixture
back to the broth and bring to a boil. Add in the chickpea flour and the last four tablespoons of fish sauce. Simmer for about ten minutes.
Add the rice noodles to each bowl, cover with the soup and then add a half hard-boiled egg on top along with
some cilantro. Serve hot with the lime wedges.
