A comforting bowl of rice noodles in a broth flavored with fish bones, garnished with fresh shrimp, white fish fillet, and aromatic herbs, meatless.
Ingredients
- 400 g white fish heads and bones (cod, hake)
- 20 g dried shrimp
- 250 g whole fresh shrimp (head-on)
- 1 piece fresh ginger
- 1 piece onion
- 3 pieces star anise
- 1 piece cinnamon stick
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 200 g flat rice noodles (bánh phở)
- 100 g white fish fillet (cod, pollock)
- 100 g bean sprouts
- 1 bunch Thai basil
- 0.5 bunches fresh cilantro
- 1 piece lime
- 2 pieces fresh bird's eye chili
- 3 pieces green onions (scallions)
Method
- Prepare the broth: cut the ginger and onion in half (without peeling). Toast them dry in a pan or under the oven broiler until lightly blackened (5 to 8 minutes).
- In a large pot, place the fish heads and bones and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, let boil for 2 minutes, then discard the water and rinse the bones to remove impurities.
- Return the cleaned bones to the pot with the toasted ginger and onion, dried shrimp, star anise, and cinnamon. Add 1.5 liters of cold water. Bring to a boil, skim the foam, then reduce the heat and let simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, peel the fresh shrimp, reserving the heads and shells. Put the peeled shrimp in a bowl, drizzle them with ½ tsp of sugar and 1 tsp of fish sauce, mix, and chill in the refrigerator.
- Add the shrimp heads and shells to the broth and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Then strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing well on the bones and shells. Season with the remaining fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust. Keep warm.
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions (usually 3 to 4 minutes in boiling water). Drain and divide between two large bowls.
- Prepare the fish: cut the white fish fillet into 2 cm pieces; poach them in the broth just before serving (or quickly sauté them). Slice the green onions and chilies. Cut the lime into wedges. Wash the basil and cilantro.
- Just before serving, plunge the marinated shrimp into the boiling broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn pink and firm.
- Arrange the shrimp and fish pieces on the noodles. Pour the piping hot broth over them. Garnish with bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, green onions, chili, and a lime wedge.
- Serve immediately, with extra fish sauce and chili on the side.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 825.9 kcal
- Protein
- 69.18 g
- Carbohydrate
- 114.67 g
- Fat
- 13.87 g
- Fibre
- 14.72 g
- Calcium
- 160.93 mg
- Iron
- 4.73 mg
- Magnesium
- 78.83 mg