Mohinga (Myanmar Fish Noodle Soup)

About This Recipe

Mohinga is Myanmar's breakfast of champions and its national dish, eaten by virtually every Burmese person every morning from Yangon to Mandalay to the most remote village. The broth is extraordinary: catfish (or other freshwater fish) simmered with lemongrass, ginger, shrimp paste, and turmeric, then thickened with toasted rice flour and (in the traditional version) finely minced banana stem into a dense, slightly viscous soup that clings to the rice vermicelli it is poured over. The bowl is finished with fried split chickpeas, a sliced boiled egg, crispy fried onions, and a drizzle of chili oil — the contrast of soft noodles and soup against crunchy chickpeas and the richness of fish against the brightness of lime juice makes mohinga one of the most complete bowls in Asian noodle soup cooking. Vendors push their mohinga carts through the streets before sunrise, and the sound of them calling 'mohinga! mohinga!' is part of the sonic identity of every Burmese city.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gcatfish fillets (or other firm white fish)
• 500 gthin rice vermicelli, cooked per packet
• 1.5 literswater
• 3 stalkslemongrass, bruised
• 3 cmfresh ginger, sliced
• 1 tspturmeric powder
• 1 tspshrimp paste (ngapi)
• 5 clovesgarlic
• 5shallots
• 3 tbsptoasted rice flour (or toast rice then grind)
• 200 gbanana stem, peeled and finely minced (optional but traditional)
• 2 tbspfish sauce
• 1 tsppalm sugar
• 2 tbspneutral oil
• 100 gsplit chickpeas (chana dal), fried until golden
• 4hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 3 tbspfried shallots
• 1 tbspchili oil
• 2limes, halved
• fresh cilantrofor garnish

Instructions

1. 1

   Poach the fish

   Simmer fish in water with lemongrass, ginger, and 0.5 tsp turmeric for 15 minutes. Remove fish, cool, and flake, discarding bones. Reserve all the broth.

2. 2

   Make the spice paste

   Blend shallots, garlic, shrimp paste, and remaining turmeric into a paste.

3. 3

   Fry the paste

   Heat oil in a large pot. Fry the paste 5-6 minutes until fragrant. Add banana stem (if using) and cook 5 more minutes.

   Banana stem absorbs the spice paste and thickens the broth naturally — don't skip it if available.

4. 4

   Add broth

   Pour fish broth into the pot. Bring to a boil. Whisk in toasted rice flour mixed with a little cold water, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.

5. 5

   Simmer and add fish

   Simmer 10 minutes until broth thickens slightly. Add flaked fish and fish sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with fish sauce and palm sugar.

6. 6

   Fry the chickpeas

   If not pre-fried, deep fry soaked split chickpeas at 180°C until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes. Drain.

7. 7

   Assemble

   Place cooked vermicelli in deep bowls. Ladle hot mohinga over the noodles. Add fried chickpeas, a halved egg, fried shallots, and a drizzle of chili oil. Serve with lime on the side.

Variations

• •

  Mandalay mohinga: uses more dried chilies and sometimes includes pork along with fish.

• •

  Simple mohinga: omit banana stem and use rice flour only for thickening — the flavor is slightly less complex but still excellent.

Storage

Broth keeps refrigerated up to 3 days; thickened broth may need thinning with hot water when reheating as it stiffens in the refrigerator.

Frequently Asked Questions