Mohinga (Burmese Catfish Curry Soup)

Instructions

1. Separate the green and white parts of the lemongrass stalks.
2. In the stock pot, combine the chicken stock, 1 cup of water, 1 cube of boullion, the fish paste, and a half cup of fish sauce. Bring to a low boil and add the green parts of the lemongrass stalks and half of the ginger as a small cube. Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder and lower the heat to a low simmer.
   
3. Add the catfish filets to the stock pot and poach in the cooking liquid for about 10 minutes. After that time, remove the fish with a slotted spoon or spatula and continue to simmer the stock pot.
   
4. In the saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of corn oil and add the onion, garlic, remaining ginger, white parts of the lemongrass and stir until the onion is translucent and fragrant. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
   
5. Add the remaining 1 cup of fish sauce, and use an immersion blender to process the contents of the saucepan into a coarse curry paste.
   
6. Return the saucepan to the stove and heat on medium heat and add a teaspoon of turmeric, a teaspoon of paprika, and some salt and black pepper to taste. Add the chicken boullion cube and stir to break up.
   
7. Add the catfish filets to the curry paste in the saucepan and stir gently to break the catfish filets up into small chunks. Remove from the heat.
   
8. Remove the whole lemongrass stalks and ginger pieces from the stock pot, and stir in 1 cup of toasted rice flour.
9. Add the contents of the saucepan to the stock pot and stir to combine. Continue to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes and serve.
10. Optionally you can add 4 sliced hard boiled eggs to the soup at this point to thicken the soup.
11. Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to their directions.
12. Serve in soup bowls, with a small amount of the vermicelli noodles topped with the fish curry and soup. Garnish with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, chili powder flakes, sliced red onion, and Pe Kyaw.