1. Stuffed Inle Fish
2. Kow Sen

Stuffed Inle Fish

from: Mi Mi Khaing

This recipe is for fish with roe in it. Ngapein (type of carp caught at Inle Lake) is the best fish for this recipe but pike may be substituted.

Ingredients

One 2 1/2-3 pound whole walleye pike
One handful (1/4 to ½ cup) roe, from the pike or other source
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (thick)
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce (thin)
1 teaspoon dried garlic chips
2 green chillies
2 tablespoons flour
1 inch ginger root
½ cup oil
1 small bunch coriander or marigold leaves

Method

1. Have fish cleaned, if possible with 2 inch side incision only.  Keep roe aside.  Make 3 shallow cuts diagonally on each broad side of fish.  Trim off tail and head if too long for pan.  Rub with pepper, turmeric, ½ teaspoon salt, and thick soy sauce, inside and out.
2. Soak garlic chips in ½ teaspoon water and mask well.  Discard seeds of green chillies, chop skins finely, and mash.  Mix garlic and chilli skins with chopped roe, 1 teaspoon flour, ¼ teaspoon salt,a nd 1 teaspoon thick soy sauce.  Stuff fish with this and secure with skewer or sew with bamboo twine.  Pat fish dry and dust with flour.
3. Scrape and slice ginger finely.  Heat oil in thick pan.  Put in ginger,   then fish.  Fry 3 mins.on each side over high heat.  Drain fish and solids.  Take out 2/3 oil.  Put in marinade with thin soy sauce and ½ cup water. Put fish in this, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once.
4. Remove fish from pan.  Mix 1 teaspoon flour, ½ cup water, and ½ teaspoon salt.  Add to pan, simmer, correct to taste.
5. Serve fish with gravy, pouring hot oil over all; surround with leaves.

 

 

KOW SEN

Shan Rice Noodles

(from Mi Mi Khaing)

Main Dish:

5 pounds pork, meat and bone,
8 pints water
2 cups chopped onion
4 teaspoons garlic chips
1 ½ teaspoons ginger powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder (omit if hot bean paste is used)
4 tablespoons powdered soybean wafer OR 1 tablespoon hot bean paste
1/3 cup oil
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon (or more) salt
2 ½ pounds dry big rice noodles

Small Accompaniments:

1 cup dried silk cotton blossom (optional)
¾ cup chopped fried garlic
¾ cup roasted sesame seeds,
¾ cup coriander leaf
¾ cup spring onion greens
3 limes
1 large bowlful buffalo crisps OR crisp bean or rice crackers
1 cup oil
1 pound pork chitterlings

The main dish is simple to cook, but the accompaniments take time.  Some of them can be done the day before.  Read all instructions before getting started.

1. Separate pork meat from the bone and rind.  Boil bones and rind for stock in 8 pints water.  Chop meat finely, but do not mince.
2. Mince or pound onions, garlic, ginger, and chilli for main dish.  Dip tomatoes in boiling water and peel. Chop finely.  Toast soybean cakes, cool, and pound to powder.
3. Heat 1/3 cup oil.  Add onions, garlic, chilli, ginger, turmeric; fry, stirring, till aromatic.  Add chopped meat, stir, cook till water is absorbed.  Add tomatoes and salt, stir, cover, and cook till tomato liquid is reduced. 
4. Add stock, and bring to boil.  Add soybean powder or bean paste, more salt to taste, and let simmer for as long as required till needed.
5. In large pot boil extra water and when fast-boiling, put in rice noodles.  When done, drain, run cold water through; drain well and set aside.
6. While the main dish is simmering or during other intervals, prepare the accompaniments:
   1. If cotton blossom is used, wash and boil for 30 minutes or until tender. 
   2. It is included here to provide crunch, having, no flavour of its own.
7. Heat 1/3 cup of oil.  Chop garlic small and fry till gold; drain off.  If you do it ahead of time, keep crisp either by covering with oil used for frying, or drain dry, let cool, then keep in an airtight container.
8. Pan-roast sesame seeds till just fragrant and pound finely.  Chop coriander and spring onion greens small, and cut limes in wedges.
9. Add 1 cup oil to pan and deep fry buffalo crisps or other crackers.  If buffalo crisps are used, cook oil to smoking first.  Then let it cool, put in crisps, and let heat rise till they swell and cook slowly.  Bean and rice crackers cook at once in hot oil.
10. Keep curry simmering on lowest heat, adding water if reduced. On table have fried garlic, sesame, and chitterlings in small dishes; blossom, chopped greens, and lime on one plate; crackers in a large bowl.

 

Serve in soup bowls, putting ½ cup noodles in each. 

Stir curry and ladle from the bottom 1 cup or more over each bowl of noodles.  Serve at once.

Guests can help themselves to the accompaniments and mix them in the bowl.  Crackers are usually eaten between mouthfuls.

 

 

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