Vietnamese-Style Soup with Mahi-Mahi

4 cups of any fish or chicken stock
1 clove minced garlic
2 dried hot peppers, or use chili oil to taste (optional)
1 pound skinless mahi-mahi fillet or steak cut in 1/2 inch chunks
One 4-ounce package bean thread noodles
1 cup bean sprouts or chopped water chestnut, your choice
6 oz. snow peas
1 Tbsp. fish sauce (if you don’t like it, use more soy sauce)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce (if you can’t have soy, omit and use more fish sauce)
Juice of 1 lime
3 scallions, minced green and white parts
2 Tbsp. cilantro minced

Prepare everything ahead as the cooking goes very fast.

Simmer stock with the garlic and hot peppers. Soak the bean threads in hot water and cover for 5 minutes. Add the snow peas to the stock for up to 3 minutes.

Add the cubed fish and bean sprouts to the simmering stock. It only takes a few minutes to cook the fish. As soon as the fish is done, add the fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, bean threads, scallions, and cilantro. Stir and remove from heat. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Remove the hot peppers.

Adapted from the cookbook “Fish” by Mark Bittman, the best seafood cookbook I have owned.

Claire