Canh Bun Tau (Fish and Cellophane Noodle Soup)

Recipe Junkie's Note:

From the book, A Little Vietnamese Cookbook.

• Total Time: 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 1/2 lb white fish fillet (halibut or cod are excellent)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon pureed fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil or 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 large onion, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 4 leaves sweet basil
• 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste or 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
• 5 cups water
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam)
• 1 1/2 ounces cellophane noodles, soaked (in warm water)
• 2 stalks spring onions, chopped

Directions:

1. Chop fish coarsely and cover with ginger, salt and pepper.
2. Set aside.
3. Heat oils in large saucepan and fry garlic and onions until light brown, then add turmeric, basil, and shrimp paste.
4. Add water, lemon juice, nuoc mam (fish sauce) and bring to a boil.
5. Add fish and cook for 4 minutes.
6. Add noodles and serve in individual bowls with chopped spring onions.

Reviews

[Chef #1256030]

This soup was inedible, I only ate pieces of fish and threw the rest out. I used light soy sauce as it says on food.com that you could substitute it and 2 chopped anchovies in oil instead of anchovies paste. I used 2 limes instead of 1 lemon and that was way too much, the soup because sour-bitter. I suggest for whoever wants to try it out, since it had very good reviews, do not use substitutes but everything as in the recipe, that way you'll have a better chance of not spoiling it. This was the first time I've cooked anything Thai so maybe I should pat myself on the back that at least I didn't waste the fish.

[NaCly]

This soup was fantastic. I went with anchovi paste because my grocery store didn't have the shrimp paste. Next time I'm going to try it with some chili sauce to add an extra kick, but this was very good as is.

[Crisci]

What a wonderful recipe! I used catfish bones (and the meat attached to them) instead of the fish fillets. After bringing the water to a boil, I added the fish and cooked it in the broth. It was so good that I had it for lunch and then for dinner again. The sesame oil and the chili sauce were indispensible. Thank you for sharing such an easy, delicious recipe.