Fishball Noodle Soup

With spring green ribbons, fried shallots & garlic – KWAY TEOW soup –

ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA

Serves 2 

• 100g dried flat rice noodles (5–8mm wide)
• 2 bunches of spring greens
• leftover fish bones, from making the fishballs (see below)
• 1 litre Asian chicken or pork stock (see here)
• 10 fishballs (see here)
• sea salt, to taste
• generous dashes of white pepper

To serve

• fried shallots and shallot oil (see here)
• fried garlic and garlic oil (see here)
• chopped spring onions

1. Blanch the rice noodles in plenty of boiling water until cooked, about 2–5 minutes depending on the manufacturer. Drain and rinse with cold water, then set aside in a bowl of cold water to prevent the noodles from clumping.
2. Slice the spring greens into thin ribbons.
3. If using fish bones, bring to the boil in a pan with the stock, then turn the heat down to a low simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Bring the stock back to the boil, then add the fishballs and spring greens and season to taste with salt and white pepper. Lower the heat to a steady simmer, and cook until the fishballs float to the top and the spring greens are tender and turn a bright green.
5. To serve, drain the rice noodles well and divide between bowls. Pour the hot broth over, add the fishballs and spring greens, and drizzle with the fragrant shallot and garlic oils.
6. Finish with a sprinkling of fried shallots, fried garlic and chopped spring onions.