Fish and Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 200 g dried rice vermicelli
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2.5 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
• 3 small red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• 3½ 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
• ½ 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, chile 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.
6. Spoon the soup into the bowls and sprinkle with peanuts.
7. Serve while hot.