Ingredients
Stock
- 1 whole catfish (about 2 lbs/1 kg)
- 5 stalks lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only, bruised
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 8 cups (2 liters) water
Soup
- ¾ cup (150 g) uncooked rice, dry-roasted till light brown and ground to a powder
- 12 cups (3 liters) water
- 12 cups (3 liters) water
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons coarsely ground lemongrass, tender inner part of bottom third only
- ½ cup (125 ml) peanut oil
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 12 whole shallots, peeled
- 7 oz (200 g) banana stem, sliced
- 1 in (2½ cm) thick (optional)
Garnishes
- 10 oz (300 g) dried rice vermicelli, soaked for
- 2 minutes, boiled for
- 2½ minutes, drained and tossed with a little peanut oil
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and quartered
- 1 small onion, finely sliced and fried with a pinch of turmeric till crisp
- Split-pea Crackers, crumbled Fried Fish Cakes
- 3 green onions (scallions), sliced
- ½ cup (25 g) chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 4 limes, quartered
- Fish sauce
- Chili flakes
How to Make It
- To make the Stock, boil all the ingredients in a pot. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the fish, flake the flesh and set aside. Strain the Stock and discard the solids.
- To make the Soup, add the rice powder to the water, stir and set aside. Blend the chilies, onion, garlic, ginger and lemon-grass to a paste. Heat the oil in a pan and stir-fry the chili paste with the turmeric till fragrant.
- Stir in the fish, then add the salt, pepper, fish sauce, and whole shallots and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add the banana stem, Stock, and rice powder water. Bring to a boil, stirring to prevent lumps forming. Boil for 15 minutes, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Arrange all the Garnishes on the table, add a little of each to a bowl. Add a drop or two of the fish sauce and chili flakes to taste.