As there is a large bunch of mint in the fridge, I decide to use this as well as purple cabbage, radish and carrot for extra colour and crunch. You can also use cucumber, tomato and salad leaves or whatever you have on hand. It’s quick and easy to assemble the onion fritter salad once you have all the Burmese salad dressing ingredients.

ingredients

8 onion fritters, cut into quarters
20g purple cabbage, finely sliced
1 spring onion sliced thinly
1 carrot, finely sliced
4 radish, sliced
large handful of mint leaves

salad dressing

4 tablespoons tamarind liquid
3 teaspoons roasted chickpea powder
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon garlic oil
a pinch of dried chilli flakes

method

Prepare all the ingredients for the salad. If you have made onion fritters using my recipe, allow it to cool before mixing into the salad. Toss all the ingredients together, checking for seasoning before serving.

serves: 2
cooking time: 5 mins

Tip: The onion fritter salad can be served as a starter or a side salad for main course.

To make garlic oil, slice a garlic clove thinly and fry in peanut oil. Once it turns golden, remove the garlic and the remaining oil is used in this salad dressing.

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ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
3cm piece of ginger, chopped
1 lemongrass, sliced (inner bulb only)
4 tablespoons light olive oil or vegetable oil
180g cooked sardines, drained
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder (optional)
3 tablespoons ground rice powder, roasted
900 ml water
generous handful of baby spinach leaves 
fish sauce to taste
plenty of black pepper

eat with

noodles of your choice enough for 4, cooked
handful of chopped fresh coriander
1 lime, cut into wedges
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled & halved
gourd or onion crispy fritters
chilli flakes

method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and throw in the onions, garlic and ginger. Cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes until softened, stirring regularly so it doesn’t burn. 

Whilst the onion mixture is cooking, prepare the sardines. I buy them already cooked so it’s a matter of removing from the container and draining it. Add to the saucepan, cook for 2-3 mins, gently breaking up the sardines with a wooden spoon. 

Add the turmeric, chilli (if using) and lemongrass. Cook for a minute or two. Then add the roasted rice powder. This not only thickens the soup but impart that distinct flavour of mohinga.

Next slowly add the water, stirring continuously so that the rice powder is incorporated with the liquid without any lumps. Bring the soup to the boil. Simmer for 20-25 mins.

Remove the saucepan from the stove. Using an electric hand blender, blizt until smooth. Add the spinach leaves at the end, allowing them to wilt in the hot soup.

Season with a good amount of fish sauce. Finally add lots of black pepper before serving.

serves: 4
cooking time: 35-45 mins

Check out my traditional fish noodle soup recipe for an authentic version of Mohinga.

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ingredients

1 head cauliflower
90 ml light olive oil
30 g shiro (white) miso paste
3 teaspoons harrissa powder mix*
1 tablespoon maple syrup

method

Preheat the oven to 180°C and set a rack in the middle position. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper or aluminium foil.

Prepare the cauliflower by cutting it in half then into slices, around 2cm in thickness. Try to keep a consistent thickness so it will cook at the same time.

In a large bowl, mix oil, miso, harrissa and maple syrup into a loose paste. Toss the cauliflower in this paste, ensuring all the pieces are coated, then transfer to the baking tray.

Roast the cauliflower until tender all the way through and golden brown with caramelised edges, about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on it and if the florist are burning, turn down the temperature to 160°C.

The miso paste should season the cauliflower enough but check for seasoning before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature.

serves: 4
cooking time: 25 mins

*Note: Harissa spices can differ depending on the brand. The one I’ve used in this recipe is from Spice and Co, the ingredients listed are chillies, paprika, cayenne, caraway, coriander, cumin, onion, garlic and sea salt.

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ingredients

50g rice flour
50g potato starch
20g chickpea flour
a good pinch of salt
1 tablespoon peanut oil
115ml ice-cold water
peanut oil for deep frying
1 medium onion, sliced finely

method

Put all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the cold water a little at a time, stirring continuously, until incorporated without lumps. It should be a thick consistency. Leave the batter in the fridge to keep cool while you prepare the vegetable of choice for frying.

Heat the oil in a medium-sized saucepan (never fill the pan more than halfway). When the oil is ready for frying, dip the vegetables in the batter just before dropping into the oil. For onion fritters, use a small ladle to create a cup-shaped mixture of batter and onions so the onions stay together.

Deep fry in batches for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown and the vegetable is cooked through, turning occasionally. Drain on kitchen paper and serve while still warm.

makes: 8 onion fritters
cooking time: 30 mins

For more gluten-free savoury snacks, check out Baya Kyaw, yellow split pea fritters.

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ingredients

2 lemongrass stalks
120g cooked mackerel fillets
half a small red onion, finely sliced & soaked in water
large handful of mint leaves
1 garlic clove, sliced
3 tablespoon light olive oil
half teaspoon roasted chickpea powder
half lime, juiced
1 red chilli, sliced
salt to season

method

Prepare the lemongrass, peel the tough outer layers and finely slice the bulb end. Soak the sliced red onions in cold water for 5 minutes to reduce the pungency of the flavour. Drain and squeeze out any excess water.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and fry the garlic until golden and aromatic. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool on paper towel.

To assemble the salad; toss mint, onions, lemongrass with the fish, breaking the mackerel fillets into smaller pieces. Add 1 tablespoon of oil from the fried garlic, roasted chickpea powder, lime juice and season with salt. Sprinkle the fried garlic and chillies on top.

serves: 2
cooking time: 10 mins

Note: We always have a jar of roasted chickpea powder on standby for Burmese salads but if you don’t, you can omit this. The roasted chickpea powder adds a slight nuttiness and helps to bind the salad dressing.

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what’s in the packet

Rice noodles, bean paste, chilli oil, onion oil, chopped peanuts and seasoning powder. You will need to add a protein of your choice and spring onions.

First boil the noodles for 3 minutes, then rinse in cold water. I use a chicken thigh, chopped into bite-size chunks. Pan fry the chicken pieces in a little oil. Once cooked, add the bean paste and a drop of water to coat the chicken.

The bean paste has a bit of a kick so I go easy on the chilli oil and add all the onion oil. And remembering the previous experience with Rakhine noodle soup packet which proved too salty for my taste, I add just a little of the seasoning powder.

The chicken mixture is tossed with the noodles, chopped nuts and sliced spring onions sprinkled on top before serving.

taste verdict

The bean paste gives the dish its salty spicy flavour. I will add some greens next time, perhaps some pickled mustard greens and a bowl of clear chicken soup for a complete meal. It makes a quick and tasty lunch for one.

where to buy:
Asian Hub Groceries
6 Tulloch St
Blacktown NSW 2148

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The first on our list is Rakhine Moti soup from Min Lan. This sour spicy soup is known as Arr Pu Sha Pu (hot throat, hot tongue) and as the name suggests, it has a bit of a kick from the black pepper and chill.

ingredients

Listed on the back of the packet: yellow pike conger, shrimp paste, black pepper, garlic, galangal, chilli, vegetable powder and pink Himalayan salt.

Inside the packet, there is a piece of paper containing instructions in Burmese and a packet of dried ingredients. As with any packet soup, it’s easy to make. Put the packet ingredients in a saucepan (except the silica gel pouche) and add 1 litre of water (we added more to reduce the saltiness of the soup). Bring the soup to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes until all the dried pieces of fish are rehydrated and softened. Serve with rice noodles, coriander and fresh chillies.

taste verdict

The soup is salty, sour and spicy with small chunks of fish. There were also bits of garlic skins and a couple of fish bones in the powder which we pulled out. As a quick soup to rustle up for week day dinners, it’s ideal. Adjust water to reduce saltiness and reduce the black pepper powder if you prefer it less spicy. Then add some wilted spinach leaves and a soft boiled egg for a more substantial meal.

We have made Rakhine Moti soup previously several years back and it was interesting to see how this packet compare with a home-made version. Here’s my recipe for Rakhine moti if you want to make it from scratch. It’s well worth the effort but if you lack time, the packet soup is a great choice.

where to buy:
Asian Hub Groceries
6 Tulloch St
Blacktown NSW 2148

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ingredients

250g raw peanuts (without skin)
500 ml water
60g potato starch
pinch of salt

method

To extract the peanut milk, soak the peanuts in plenty of water for 24 hours, leaving it covered in the fridge. The next day, pour the water away and put the peanuts in a blender. Add the 500ml of water.

Blend the mixture until it is smooth, about 1-2 minutes, pulsing initially to ensure all the nuts are blended. Prepare a jug lined with a nut milk bag or muslin cloth. Pour the mixture into the jug then squeeze to extract all the liquid. The leftover peanut pulp, known as okara, is also used in Japan to make other dishes. Nothing goes to waste.

Put the peanut milk in a saucepan. In a small bowl, put the potato starch and use some of the peanut milk from the saucepan to make a loose paste. This is to avoid any lumps when adding to the milk.

Add the potato starch liquid to the saucepan with a pinch of salt. Heat the milk on medium high, stirring to ensure it is not clumping at the bottom of the pan. As the mixture cooks, it becomes thicker and requires continuous stirring. It is a good idea to have an extra pair of hands in the kitchen to help.

Keep cooking and stirring for about 20-30 minutes until the peanut milk does not taste raw. The stirring gives the tofu a soft and glossy texture.

Prepare a shallow dish, approximately 16x16x5 cm, lined with a muslin cloth which will ensure the tofu can be easily removed from the dish. Once the tofu is ready, pour the mixture into the dish. Level with a spatula, cover and leave in the fridge to set.

Serve with ice cream, black sugar syrup as a dessert, or it can be eaten as per normal tofu, with soy sauce, a dab of wasabi, and grated ginger or made into Agedashi Tofu.

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Bean sprouts are young, tender shoots that emerge from germinated beans, most commonly mung beans or soybeans. These sprouts are highly nutritious, as they’re rich in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.

Culinary uses of bean sprouts are diverse, with them being a staple ingredient in various Asian cuisines. Bean sports add a crunchy texture and fresh, mild flavour to dishes. Bean sprouts are often used in stir-fries, salads, soups, spring rolls, and noodle dishes. Their ability to retain their crunch when lightly cooked makes them a popular choice for adding both taste and nutrition to meals.

substitues

none

availability

Supermarket/Asian stores

related recipes

Beansprout and prawn fritters (from hsa*ba, Burmese cookbook)

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Garam masala is a traditional blend of aromatic spices originating from Indian. Its name translates as “warm spices,” which reflects its ability to add a rich and warming flavour to dishes. The exact composition can vary, but common ingredients include cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, and black peppercorns.

Garam masala is usually added towards the end of cooking or sprinkled on finished dishes to preserve its vibrant flavours. It’s a versatile spice mix used in a wide range of dishes, from curries and stews to rice and vegetable preparations.

substitutes

Use a combination of cumin, coriander and cinnamon

availability

Supermarket/Asian stores

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