Mohinga Festival Feast
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Catfish or other firm white fish — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Rice vermicelli noodles — 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
- Lemongrass, bruised — 4 stalks
- Onions, chopped — 2
- Garlic, minced — 8 cloves
- Ginger, minced — 3 tbsp
- Chickpea flour — 1/2 cup (60 g / 2 oz)
- Turmeric — 2 tsp
- Fish sauce — 1/2 cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
- Oil — 1/2 cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
- Water — 16 cups (3.8 litres / 128 fl oz)
- Salt — to taste
- Hard-boiled eggs, fried onion, coriander and lime wedges, to garnish
Method
- Simmer the fish with the lemongrass in a large amount of the water for 25 minutes until cooked through; remove the fish, flake the flesh, and reserve the cooking liquid as stock.
- Heat the oil in a very large pot and sauté the onion, garlic and ginger until fragrant.
- Stir in the turmeric, then whisk in the chickpea flour with a little of the reserved stock to form a smooth slurry.
- Add the remaining stock and the flaked fish to the pot, and bring to a simmer.
- Stir in the fish sauce and simmer for 25–30 minutes until the broth thickens slightly.
- Season with salt.
- Prepare the rice vermicelli in batches according to package instructions.
- Serve the noodles topped with the hot broth and garnished generously with hard-boiled egg, fried onion, coriander and lime, for a large gathering.
Introduction: A generous, large-batch version of Myanmar’s national fish noodle soup, prepared for pagoda festivals and major community gatherings.
Cultural Background: During Myanmar’s many pagoda festivals and community celebrations, mohinga is often prepared in enormous quantities and served freely to attendees, its communal preparation and sharing a meaningful expression of merit-making and togetherness.
Tips: Cooking in such large quantities benefits from preparing components — fish stock, garnishes — well ahead of serving time. Enlist several people to help with the noodle preparation and garnishing when serving a big crowd, as is traditional at community events.
Variations: Some festival versions add banana stem for extra traditional texture. Offer extra chilli flakes and lime on the side for guests to season to taste.
Storage: Refrigerate the broth in an airtight container for up to 2 days; store noodles separately.
Reheating: Reheat the broth gently on the stovetop in batches; prepare fresh noodles and toppings just before serving.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 380 kcal, 22 g protein, 12 g fat, 46 g carbohydrate.
FAQs:
Q: Why is mohinga served at pagoda festivals?
A: Preparing and sharing food freely at religious
Q: How many people does this feast-sized recipe serve?
A: This quantity comfortably serves 20–25
- Catfish or other firm white fish — 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)
- Rice vermicelli noodles — 1.2 kg (2.6 lb)
- Lemongrass, bruised — 4 stalks
- Onions, chopped — 2
- Garlic, minced — 8 cloves
- Ginger, minced — 3 tbsp
- Chickpea flour — 1/2 cup (60 g / 2 oz)
- Turmeric — 2 tsp
- Fish sauce — 1/2 cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
- Oil — 1/2 cup (120 ml / 4 fl oz)
- Water — 16 cups (3.8 litres / 128 fl oz)
- Salt — to taste
- Hard-boiled eggs, fried onion, coriander and lime wedges, to garnish
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