Mohinga: Burmese Fish Noodle Soup

Step 1

Pat the fish fillet dry with a paper towel, place it on a cutting board, and slice it crosswise (from left to right across the width) into 0.5-inch-thick pieces to help it cook evenly.

Step 2

Peel the shallots, then slice them lengthwise from root to tip into thin half-moon shapes about 1/8 inch thick.

Step 3

Peel the garlic cloves and mince them until the pieces are pencil-tip size — smaller than a grain of rice.

Step 4

Peel the ginger with the edge of a spoon, then grate it on a microplane or the small holes of a box grater into fine shreds.

Step 5

Chop the cilantro leaves (not the stems) into pieces about 1/4 inch long.

Step 6

Slice the scallions crosswise (from left to right) into 1/4-inch rings, keeping the white and green parts separate.

Step 7

Pour 4 cups of vegetable broth into a 3-quart pot and set it over medium-high heat until large bubbles rapidly break the surface, about 5 minutes.

Step 8

Add the fish pieces to the boiling broth and stir gently once with a spoon to separate them, cooking until they turn from translucent to opaque white, about 3 minutes.

Step 9

Remove the pot from heat, use a slotted spoon to scoop the cooked fish into a small bowl, leaving the broth in the pot.

Step 10

Return the pot to medium heat, add the sliced shallots, and stir occasionally until the edges turn golden brown and smell sweet, about 4 minutes.

Step 11

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the shallots and stir constantly for 30 seconds until the raw smell fades and the mixture becomes fragrant.

Step 12

Sprinkle the turmeric powder over the aromatics and stir to coat evenly, cooking for another 15 seconds until the color deepens slightly.

Step 13

Pour 0.25 cup of cool broth into a small bowl, add the chickpea flour, and whisk with a fork until no lumps remain and the mixture is smooth.

Step 14

Slowly pour the chickpea mixture into the pot while stirring constantly to prevent lumps, then stir for 1 minute until the broth thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Step 15

Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce to the pot and stir for 10 seconds to distribute the flavor evenly.

Step 16

Return the cooked fish pieces to the pot and stir gently to combine without breaking them apart.

Step 17

Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer over medium heat — you should see small, steady bubbles rising — and keep it simmering while you cook the noodles.

Step 18

Fill a separate 2-quart pot with water, set it over high heat, and bring it to a rolling boil (large bubbles rapidly breaking the surface) in about 5 minutes.

Step 19

Add the dried noodles to the boiling water and stir with a fork to separate them; cook until they bend easily when pressed between your fingers, about 6 minutes.

Step 20

Pour the noodles into a fine-mesh strainer and rinse them under cool running water for 5 seconds, shaking gently to remove excess water.

Step 21

Divide the cooked noodles evenly between two deep serving bowls, placing them in the center of each bowl.

Step 22

Carefully ladle the hot fish broth and pieces over the noodles, filling each bowl until the broth reaches about 1 inch below the rim.

Step 23

Scatter the white parts of the scallions evenly over the surface of each bowl.

Step 24

Scatter the chopped cilantro evenly over the surface of each bowl.

Step 25

Scatter the green parts of the scallions (the thin green slices) evenly over the cilantro.

Step 26

Cut the lime half into two wedges and place one wedge on the rim of each bowl for squeezing over the soup at the table.