Mohinga Catfish Rice Noodle Soup with Lemongrass and Banana Stem

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-10-09 · Updated 2026-10-09

Myanmar's beloved breakfast soup: flaked catfish simmered in a lemongrass, ginger and toasted rice-flour broth, ladled over thin rice noodles. It's finished with crispy split-pea fritters, boiled egg and lime. This Asian recipe, ready in about 90 minutes, pairs whole catfish or catfish fillets, lemongrass stalks, bruised, fresh ginger, sliced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb whole catfish or catfish fillets
• 4 lemongrass stalks, bruised
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 2 yellow onions, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili flakes
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp shrimp paste
• 1/3 cup toasted rice flour
• 2 tbsp chickpea flour, toasted
• 1 cup banana stem, sliced (or canned banana blossom)
• 8 shallots, peeled whole
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 10 cups water
• 14 oz thin dried rice vermicelli
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, halved
• 1 cup split-pea fritters (pe kyaw) or crispy fried onions
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

The stock pot we’d simmer this in → Best Stock Pots for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Bring 10 cups water to a boil with 2 lemongrass stalks, half the ginger and 1 tsp turmeric. Add the catfish and simmer 10 minutes until cooked. Lift out the fish, flake the meat from the bones and return the bones to the pot. Simmer 15 minutes more, then strain and keep the stock.
2. Step 2: Pound the remaining lemongrass (tender inner part), ginger and garlic into a paste.
3. Step 3: Heat peanut oil in a large pot. Fry the onions until soft and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the lemongrass paste, paprika, chili flakes and shrimp paste and fry 3 minutes until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add the flaked catfish and 1 tbsp fish sauce. Stir-fry gently for 3 minutes.
5. Step 5: Pour in the strained stock. Whisk the rice flour and chickpea flour with 1 cup cold water until smooth, then stir it into the pot. Add the whole shallots and banana stem.
6. Step 6: Simmer 25 minutes, stirring often, until the broth thickens slightly. Season with the remaining fish sauce.
7. Step 7: Cook the rice vermicelli according to the package, drain and rinse.
8. Step 8: Divide the noodles among bowls and ladle the hot soup over them. Top with egg halves, crumbled fritters, cilantro and a squeeze of lime.