Burma

Mohinga
I made this dish for Andy and me on Thursday, June 24. Mohinga is the national dish of Burma (also known as Myanmar). It is a fish noodle soup and it is AWESOME. Andy and I both absolutely loved it and had multiple helpings.

The soup was simple to make, vibrant in color, well-seasoned and incredibly delicious. Andy especially enjoyed the catfish. The recipe includes various garnishes (hard-boiled eggs, cilantro, lime and sriracha sauce), so individuals can season their portion as they like. I didn't feel like hard-boiling eggs, so I left those out. The cilantro added a crisp, refreshing taste; the lime, some tang; and the sriracha sauce, just the right about of heat.

On a side note, on searching for international recipes, I came across the blog of another person who is doing this same project. He went to culinary school, and worked in the food industry for 20 years. It is from his blog that I got the recipe for Mohinga (as well as the recipe for Riz Gras last week). I find that his recipes are really easy to follow and well-spiced. I'll probably use his blog a lot as a resource.

Mohinga


Ingredients:
-1 onion, grated
-4 garlic cloves, crushed
-1" fresh ginger, peeled and grated
-1 stalk lemongrass, chopped
-1 tsp. chili powder
-1 tsp. turmeric powder
-6 c. water
-1/4 c. fish sauce
-2 small onions, quartered
-4 T. rice flour, mixed with a little cold water
-1 lb. catfish, skinned, filleted and cut into chunks
-7 oz. rice noodles, thick or thin
Garnishes:

-3 hard boiled eggs, peeled and halved
-cilantro, chopped
-lime, sliced into wedges
-sriracha sauce or chili peppers diced for heat

Directions:
1) Blend the onion, garlic, lemongrass and ginger in a food processor.
2) Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion mixture, chili powder and turmeric. Cook on medium until fragrant.
3) Add water, fish sauce, small onions and rice flour mixture. Mix well, bring to a boil, and stir thoroughly to remove lumps. Once thickened, reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.

4) Add fish, mix, and cook for another 10 minutes.
5) On the side, boil water and add rice noodles. Boil for five minutes, until tender, and drain.
6) Serve soup on top of the noodles with garnishes on the side.