This is a very popular dish in North of Viet Nam. I made it with my own twist by combining the fish in the soup and the fried fish for a fun contrast. I also included watercress that gives this dish a different taste.
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INGREDIENTS
2 Packets of cooked thick rice vermicelli (Jiangxi Rice Stick)
Marinade:
1 inch knob ginger, minced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 lb fish fillets: any fish you prefer to use, I used Salmon
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika powder
1 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
For Frying:
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Cornstarch
Soup Base:
1 small white onion
2 green onions
3 medium ripe tomatoes, quartered
5 oz Shiitake Mushrooms (precut)
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp tomato paste
8 cups Fish/Chicken Stock (I used Vegetable Stock)
1/4 cup Fish Sauce
3-4 tbsp Sugar
10 oz canned Pineapple Slices & its Juice
Garnishes
1/2 bunch cilantro , washed and trimmed
1 bunch of Watercress, Fresh Mint & Thai Basil , washed and plucked
2 cups green leaf lettuce , chopped
2 limes , cut into wedge
red chilies , chopped
DIRECTIONS:
1. Cook the rice vermicelli as instructed on the packet.
2. Remove the skin from the ginger and mince. Smash the garlic cloves, remove the skin and also mince.
3. Gently rinse the fish fillets under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Cut the fish into large chunks.
4. In a medium bowl, add the fish pieces then half of the minced ginger and garlic. Add the sugar, ground black pepper, paprika powder and fish sauce. Combine the marinade ingredients together and make sure the fish is coated completely. Let it sit while prepping the next step.
5. Thinly slice 1/4 of the white onion. Set aside in a small bowl. (This will be used to garnish the soup in the final step.) Cut the remaining 3/4 onion into thin wedges and transfer into a small bowl.
6. Cut off the white part of the green onions and transfer into the bowl with the onion wedges. Set aside for now. (This will be added to season the soup.).
7. Chop the remaining green onion stems and transfer into the same bowl as the thinly sliced onion. Coarsely chop the cilantro and add into the same bowl. Toss the green onion stems and cilantro mix together. Set aside for now.
8. Quartered each tomato.
9. Heat a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Add the vegetable oil, the remaining minced ginger and garlic, and the tomato paste. Stir-fry for 10-15 seconds. Add 1/2 marinated fish and cook for 2-3 minutes. Rotate the fish so it browns evenly. Add the tomatoes & 1/4 of mushrooms then gently toss together. Cook until the tomatoes just start to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove all the fish, mushroom, and 3/4 of the tomatoes. Set aside.
10. In the same large saucepan, add the stock. Add the onion wedges and green onion root. Cover the saucepan and bring the liquid to a boil. When it comes to a boil, add the fish and tomatoes. Gently combine together and bring to a boil again over Medium heat. Then add the rest of the mushrooms into the soup. Continue cooking for another 3 minutes. Then add in the pineapple and its juice. Cook for another 3 minutes or until the fish is completely cooked. Season the soup to taste with 1/4 cup of fish sauce & 3 tbsp of sugar (adjust to your own taste).
11. Coat the other half of the fish pieces with flour and cornstarch.
12. In a small frying pan, heat the oil under medium heat. Add the fish and fry for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a paper-lined plate.
13. To serve, add a hand-full of watercress and a generous amount of cooked rice noodle into a large soup bowl. Ladle generous amounts of the fish, tomatoes, onions and stock into the bowl. 14. Top the each bowl with fried fish pieces, the thin onion slices and a heaping spoonful of the chopped green onion and cilantro mix.
15. Optional: enjoy the Fish Rice Noodle Soup with fresh mint, Thai basil, chopped green leaf lettuce, lime wedges, and red chilies.
