Delicious UK - (04)April 2020

Mohinga(Burmese

fishsoup)

SERVES6.HANDS-ONTIME30 MIN,

SIMMERING TIME 45 MIN

MAKE

AHEAD

Maketotheendofstep 7

uptoa fewhoursbefore

serving,thengentlyreheat

and complete the recipe.

• 1 tbspgram(chickpea)flour


• 2 tbspgroundriceorriceflour


• 2 lemongrassstalks,trimmed
  andfinelychopped


• 2 wholedriedredchillies,finely
  chopped,or2 tspchilliflakes


• 1 largeonion,finelychopped


• 4 garliccloves,crushed


• 2.5cmpiecefreshginger,grated


• 4 tbspgroundnutorvegetable oil


• 1 tspgroundturmeric


• 1 tspgroundpaprika


• 2 x 110gtinsmackerelfillets
  inbrine(undrained)


• 4 tbspfishsauce, plus extra
  toserve


• 8 smallshallots,peeled


• 400g rice vermicelli noodles

TOSERVE

• 100g fresh coriander, chopped
  
  
  • 3 duckeggsor6 hen’seggs,
    hard-boiledandslicedorhalved
  
  
  • 1 redonion,finelysliced
  
  
  • 3 limes,cutintowedges
  
  
  • Ready-madedeep-friedcrispy
    onionsforsprinkling(check
    thesearegluten free, if they
    needtobe)
  
  
  • Chilli flakes to taste
  
  
  
  

YOU’LLALSONEED...

• Largepestleandmortar or mini
  food processor

1 Toastthegramflourovera low

heatina dryfryingpan,stirring

often,untilit turnsgolden– keep

watchofit soit doesn’tburn.Set

aside,thentoastthegroundrice

orriceflourinthesameway.

2 Ina largepestleandmortar,

poundthelemongrass,chillies,

onion,garlicandgingertoa paste

(orusea minifoodprocessor).

3 Heattheoilina largedeep

saucepanovera mediumheat.

Addtheturmeric,paprikaandthe

lemongrass/chillipaste,thenfry

for5-7minutesuntiltheonion

inthepastestartstocaramelise.

4 Stir in the mackerel (with the

brine),thencookfor5 minutes

more,ensuringallthemackerel

iscoatedwiththepaste.

5 Addthetoastedgramandrice

floursandkeepstirring until the

pastethickens.

6 Pourin1.5litreswaterandadd

thefishsauce.Bringthesoupup

totheboil,thenreducetheheat

andsimmerfor 15 minutes.

7 Addthewholeshallotsanda

pinchofpeppertothesoup,then

simmergentlyfor 30 minutes

more(seeMakeAhead).

8 Meanwhile,putthevermicelliin

a separatelargeheatproofbowl

andpouroverboilingwaterfrom

thekettle.Leavetosoakfor

7 minutes(oruntilthenoodles

aresoft),thendrain.

9 Toserve,dividethevermicelli

noodlesamong6 bowls.Ladleover

thefishsoup(leavingbehindthe

wholeshallots),thengarnishwith

coriander,halvedeggs,redonion,

freshlimewedges,extrafishsauce,

crispyonionsandchilliflakes.

PERSERVING588kcals,21.5gfat

(5.5gsaturated),27.5gprotein,

68.5gcarbs(5.2g sugars), 3.4g salt,

4.9g fibre

deliciousmagazine.co.uk 57

Whenitcomestohome-cookedcomfort

food,mohingatopsmylist.It’sconsideredthe

nationaldishofMyanmarandeveryBurmese

cookhasa recipeforitpasseddownfromtheir

mother.InBurma,mohingaistraditionallymade

withcatfish,whichwasn’teasytogetintheUK

inthe1980s.Mymother’salternativewastinned

mackerel,andthat’showI prefermymohinga.

Mymuminspiredmycateringcareer.She

wasanamazingcook,andI wouldeatoffherplate when I was a

smallchild.Mymum’smohingawasthebest.

I grewupinLeicester,butin 1998 I wenttouniversityinLondon

andreallymissedMum’scooking.WhenI wenthomeduringthe

holidaysmymumwouldwelcomemebackwithmohinga.Itwas

whatI craved.I madesureMumtaughtmethesecrettohermohinga

soI couldmakeitformyfriendswhenI wasbackinLondon.

Unfortunately,mymotherpassedawayin2012,butI didn’twant

herrecipestobeburiedwithher.I wantedtosharehome-cooked

BurmesecuisinewiththeUK,soI startedmymum-inspiredsupper

club.I inheritedherfirstandonlystonepestleandmortar theone

shebroughtwithherwhensheemigratedtoEngland.I useitallthe

timeandtreasureittobits,alongwithhermemoryandrecipes.

• Thuzar is the founder of Burmese catering company Dine With Kyi (dinewithkyi.com)

food memories.

NEXTMONTH

DinaBegum’s

Bangladeshisweets

for Eid

MOTHER’SLITTLEHELPER

Thuzarandhermum

Khin Khin Mya

FOOD PHOTOGRAPH: MAJA SMEND. FOOD STYLING: SOPHIE AUSTEN-SMITH. STYLING: TONY HUTCHINSON