Cod and Chinese Celery Soup

By mdyess

Ingredients

• 6 Chinese celery stalks
• 2 long red chiles, sliced, plus more for garnish
• 6 spring onions, sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1 clove garlic, sliced
• 2 quarts (64 ounces) fish stock or water
• 1 whole cod (about 2 pounds), cleaned and chopped into 1-inch cutlets
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup fish sauce, plus more to serve
• 3 tomatoes, sliced into wedges
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• Juice of 2 limes
• Jasmine rice, to serve

Preparation

Step 1

Pick the leaves off the celery stalk and reserve for later use. Cut the celery stalk into 2-inch lengths. In a mortar, combine the celery, chile, spring onion (white part only), and garlic then slightly pound into a coarse paste.
Pour the fish stock into a large pot and bring to the boil.
Add the cod cutlets, sugar, and fish sauce, and then bring back to the boil skimming out any impurities. Add the celery stalk-chile mixture.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
Now add the tomatoes, celery leaves, and spring onions (green parts) and cook for another 5 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and transfer to a large bowl, then add the bean sprouts, and lime juice and stir.
Serve the soup with the jasmine rice and side dipping sauce of sliced chile and fish sauce.