Fermented fish noodle soup - Bún mắm
Serves 4–6
"To claim this noodle dish is too pungent is to admit that your palate is insuficiently adventurous," says Thi Le, author of Viet Kieu, recipes from Vietnam. "I love this dish for the miscellany of surf-and-turf toppings, the greenery and herbage, and the absolutely addictive broth that pulls you in while those around you start diving for cover."
1.5 litres (6 cups) water
1 lemongrass stem, smashed
175 g (6 oz) firm white fish fillets, such as barramundi, sliced
2 prawns (shrimp) per person
200 g (7 oz) squid, cleaned and scored in a cross-hatched pattern
45 g (1½ oz) pork belly per person, either poached or roasted (see pages 196 or 174–75), then sliced
1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) fresh vermicelli noodles
BROTH
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
30 g (1 oz) garlic cloves, minced
80 g (2¾ oz) ginger, sliced
30 g (1 oz) galangal, sliced
2 lemongrass stems, bruised, then cut into
8 cm (3¼ inch) lengths
1 brown onion, sliced lengthways
6 makrut lime leaves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
250 g (9 oz) Mắm Cá Sặc, no bones (see notes)
2.5 litres (85 fl oz) water
1 litre (4 cups) young coconut juice (or unsweetened coconut juice)
100 g (3½ oz) Japanese eggplant (aubergine), sliced into thick coins
TO SERVE
120 g (4¼ oz) morning glory stems, shredded into curls (see notes)
35 g (1¼ oz) garlic chives, chopped into 5 cm (2 inch) batons
lime wedges
1. Make the broth; heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the garlic for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant, then add the ginger, galangal, lemongrass and onion and fry for another minute.
2. Add the lime leaves, salt, pepper and mắm cá sặc. Pour in the 2.5 litres (85 fl oz) of water and the coconut juice, stirring well.
3. Bring to a gentle boil, skimming off any impurities. Turn the heat down to low and leave to infuse for 30 minutes.
4. Add the eggplant to the broth. Cook for a further 5 minutes, or until the eggplant is tender.
Organise the toppings
5. While the broth is simmering, bring the 1.5 litres (6 cups) of water and the smashed lemongrass to the boil. Gently poach the fish, prawns and squid for 3–4 minutes, until cooked, and remove from stock. Set aside.
6. Also prepare your pork belly and other serving garnishes.
7. Just before serving, warm the vermicelli noodles in boiling water for 10 seconds and drain.
Assemble
8. Transfer the noodles to individual serving bowls. Arrange the seafood, pork belly and eggplant in each bowl, then ladle the broth over the top and garnish with morning glory, garlic chives and cut lime.
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Notes. Mắm cá sặc is pickled or fermented gouramy fish, available in jars from Asian grocers. Your Asian grocer should sell morning glory shredders. Once shredded into curls, keep the morning glory in cool water until needed.
Images and text from Viet Kieu by Thi Le with Jia-Yen Lee, photography by Mark Chew, published by Murdoch Books.
