Mohinga (Burmese Fish Noodle Soup)
Myanmar's national breakfast: rice vermicelli in a deeply spiced catfish-and-banana-stem broth, topped with crisp fritters and lime.
About This Recipe
Mohinga is Myanmar's national dish and the breakfast that every Burmese family debates the proper version of. A deeply savory, almost porridge-thick broth is built from catfish (or other freshwater fish) simmered with lemongrass, ginger, turmeric, banana stem, toasted chickpea flour, and a generous quantity of fried onions and shallots. Served over rice vermicelli, the bowl is finished with hard-boiled egg, crispy split-pea fritters (akyaw), fish sauce, chili powder, fresh cilantro, and a wedge of lime. Eaten standing at street stalls from dawn through about 10 am, mohinga is the rare dish where every spoonful changes — crunch, brine, perfume, sour, savory — making it almost meditative to eat slowly.
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 800 gfreshwater catfish or whole tilapia, cleaned
- 1.5 Lwater
- 4 stalkslemongrass, bruised
- 1 thumbginger, sliced
- 1 tspground turmeric
- 2 tspsalt
- 4 tbspneutral oil
- 2 largeonions, sliced
- 6 clovesgarlic, minced
- 1 thumbextra ginger, minced
- 2 tsppaprika
- 1 tspshrimp paste
- 3 tbspfish sauce
- 60 gchickpea flour (besan), toasted and mixed with 200ml water to a slurry
- 200 gbanana stem or tender heart of palm, finely sliced (optional but traditional)
- 400 grice vermicelli, cooked according to package
- 6hard-boiled eggs, halved
- 12split-pea fritters (akyaw) or store-bought lentil pakoras
- fresh cilantro, sliced scallions, lime wedges, fried garlic oil, chili flakes to serve
Instructions
- 1
Poach fish
Simmer fish in water with lemongrass, sliced ginger, turmeric, and salt for 15 minutes until tender. Lift out; flake meat, discard skin and bones. Strain broth and reserve.
- 2
Make fragrant base
Heat oil in a wide pot. Fry onions 12 minutes until deep golden and starting to crisp (this slow caramelization is the soul of mohinga's flavor).
- 3
Add aromatics
Stir in garlic, minced ginger, paprika, and shrimp paste. Cook 2 minutes until fragrant and the oil reddens.
- 4
Return fish and broth
Add flaked fish; toss in oil to coat, 1 minute. Pour in reserved broth and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer.
- 5
Thicken with chickpea slurry
Slowly whisk in the chickpea slurry. Cook 10 minutes, stirring often, until broth thickens to a creamy, almost porridge-like consistency.
Toast the chickpea flour dry in a pan for 4 minutes before slurrying — raw besan tastes bitter.
- 6
Add banana stem
Stir in banana stem (or heart of palm). Simmer 15–20 minutes more — the broth should be thick, golden-brown, and intensely savory. Taste; adjust salt and fish sauce.
- 7
Assemble bowls
Divide vermicelli among bowls. Ladle hot mohinga broth generously over. Top with half an egg, two fritters, fresh cilantro, scallions, fried garlic oil, and chili flakes.
- 8
Serve with lime
Pass lime wedges. Each diner squeezes lime, crumbles fritters into the broth, and stirs. Eat immediately while fritters still have some crunch.
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Pro Tips
- →
Toasted chickpea flour is the magic thickener — it gives mohinga its signature creamy body without dairy.
- →
Fried onions must be deep brown but not burnt — that caramelization is the flavor backbone. Take your time.
- →
Akyaw fritters are essential for texture contrast — if you can't make them, use lentil pakoras from an Indian grocery as a close substitute.
Variations
- •
Vegetarian mohinga: use mushroom stock and chickpeas in place of fish; everything else stays the same.
- •
Yangon style: thicker broth with more banana stem and a touch of palm sugar.
- •
Mandalay style: less chickpea flour, more fish, lighter broth.
Storage
Broth refrigerates 3 days and improves. Cook vermicelli and fry fritters fresh — reheated fritters go limp. Reheat broth gently with extra water as it thickens overnight.
History & Origin
Mohinga is documented in Burmese royal-court cookbooks from the 18th century, but its origins trace much earlier — fish-and-rice-noodle soups were staples in Irrawaddy delta villages for centuries. It became codified as the national breakfast under the British colonial period in the 19th century.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is banana stem and can I leave it out?
Banana stem is the tender inner core of the banana plant trunk, used across South and Southeast Asia. It has a crunchy texture and mild flavor. Heart of palm is the closest substitute; if neither is available, omit it.
Why is my mohinga thin instead of thick?
You didn't toast or use enough chickpea flour, or you didn't simmer long enough after adding the slurry. The broth should coat a spoon visibly; if it's watery, whisk in more toasted besan slurry and simmer 10 more minutes.
Can I use a different fish?
Yes — any firm freshwater or mild saltwater fish works (tilapia, catfish, cod, even canned mackerel in a pinch). The point is its flavor dissolving into the broth, not its texture as a piece.
Is mohinga eaten only for breakfast?
Traditionally yes — vendors set up before dawn and sell out by 10 am. Home cooks make it any time, but a Burmese person buying mohinga for dinner is unusual.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (540g / 19.0 oz) · 6 servings total
Time Summary
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