Fish and Noodle Soup

Ingredients

 * 200 g-Dried rice vermicelli
 * 1 tablespoon-Cooking oil
 * 2.5cm piece-Fresh ginger, grated
 * 3 small-Red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
 * 4-Spring onions, chopped
 * 3 1/2 cups-Coconut milk
 * 2 tablespoons-Fish sauce
 * 2 tablespoons-Tomato paste
 * 500 g-Firm white fish fillets, cubed
 * 2-Ham steaks, diced
 * 150g-Snake beans, chopped
 * 180g-Bean sprouts, trimmed
 * 1 cup-Fresh mint
 * 1/2 cup-Unsalted roasted peanuts

Directions

 * 1) Soak the vermicelli in boiling water for 5 minutes to soften it, drain well.
 * 2) Heat the cooking oil in a large, heavy-based pan and cook the ginger, chili and spring onion for 3 minutes or until golden.
 * 3) Stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce and tomato paste, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
 * 4) Add the fish, ham and snake beans and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the fish is tender.
 * 5) Divide the vermicelli among four bowls and top with bean sprouts and mint. Spoon the soup into the bowls and sprinkle with peanuts.
 * 6) Serve while hot.