Burmese mohinga soup recipe

Banana stems look like fibrous white leeks and taste very similar to the fruit. If you're unable to find them in Asian grocery stores, try substituting water chestnuts. To prepare the rice, toss in a heated pan until the grains are browned and slightly burnt (but not stuck to the pan) and crush using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. The amount of gram flour can also be doubled in place of the toasted rice. Serves 4 1 tbs vegetable or canola oil 1 onion, finely diced 1 tsp ginger, crushed 1 tsp turmeric 2 tbs shrimp paste 2 red chillies, chopped 60g (2oz) banana stem, sliced thinly 2 stalks of lemongrass, sliced thinly 675ml (3 cups) fish stock 50g (2oz) gram flour 50g (2oz) rice, toasted and ground 500g (1lb) dried thin rice noodles 200g (7oz) firm white fish, such as haddock, pollack or sea bass, sliced lime wedges, fried onions, extra chopped chillies and fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) to serve Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion, ginger, turmeric, shrimp paste, chillies, banana stem and lemongrass until the onion has softened. Add the stock and whisk in the gram flour and toasted rice. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the soup has thickened. Add the rice noodles and continue simmering until the noodles are cooked. Add the fish and cook for a further five minutes. Serve immediately with a wedge of lime and garnished with fried onions, chopped chillies and coriander leaves. • This is an edited extract from The World's Best Street Food (Lonely Planet, £14.99). Order a copy for £11.99 from the Guardian bookshop