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Rakhine mont di
Rakhine mont di (ရခိုင်မုန့်တီ): rice noodles in a hot, sour fish broth with green chilli
Sittwe wakes up hungry, and its answer is a bowl of Rakhine mont di from the breakfast shops near the jetty and market: thin rice noodles under a clear, tart broth made from sea fish, lemongrass and a whisper of fish paste. The fish is flaked over the top with sliced shallot, coriander and crisp garlic, and the real fire comes from a pounded paste of raw green chillies and garlic that everyone stirs in to taste. It is lean, bright and searingly hot, nothing like the creamy noodles of the north, and people eat it with fritters or nothing at all. A frequent mistake is boiling the fish hard so it falls apart into the broth; poach it gently and lift it out the moment it flakes. Chef's tip: make the green chilli paste first and let it sit for 15 minutes; the garlic mellows and the paste turns a brighter, fresher green.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the green chilli paste
- 8 green bird's-eye chilliesstems removed
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp water
For the fish broth
- 16 oz mackerel or sea bass filletsskin on, pin-boned
- 6 ¾ cups water
- 3 lemongrass stalksbruised and cut into lengths
- ⅔ oz galangal or gingersliced
- 4 shallotshalved
- 1 tsp shrimp paste
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- ½ tsp salt
For the bowls
- 2 shallotsthinly sliced
- 1 handful fresh corianderchopped
- 2 tbsp crispy fried garlic
- 2 limescut into wedges
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Pound 8 green bird's-eye chillies, 3 garlic cloves and ½ tsp salt in a mortar (or blitz in a small blender) to a coarse paste. Stir in 1 tbsp lime juice and 2 tbsp water and set aside for 15 minutes. Wear gloves; these chillies are fierce.
Step 2: Put 6 ¾ cups water, 3 lemongrass stalks, ⅔ oz galangal or ginger and 4 shallots in a large pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes to flavour the water.
10 minStep 3: Dissolve 1 tsp shrimp paste in a ladle of the hot liquid and stir it back into the pot.
Step 4: Lower the heat until the liquid barely trembles and slip in 16 oz mackerel or sea bass fillets. Poach gently for 6–8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque right through and flakes easily.
8 minStep 5: Lift out the fish carefully, cool slightly, then remove the skin and any bones and break the flesh into large flakes.
Step 6: Return about a third of the flaked fish to the pot and simmer for 10 minutes so it enriches the broth. Strain out the lemongrass, galangal and shallot.
10 minStep 7: Season with 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp tamarind paste and ½ tsp salt. Taste: it should be clearly sour and salty, with a gentle fish flavour.
Step 8: Cook 10 ½ oz thin dried rice noodles (vermicelli) following the packet until soft, then drain and rinse under hot water.
6 minStep 9: Divide the noodles between bowls and top with the rest of the flaked fish, 2 shallots, 1 handful fresh coriander and 2 tbsp crispy fried garlic.
Step 10: Ladle the very hot broth over and serve at once, with 2 limes and the green chilli paste for everyone to stir in, a little at a time.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 450 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rakhine mont di take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of lime juice?
- Lemon juice, same amount.
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