Cha Ca La Vong — Hanoi Turmeric Fish with Dill & Rice Noodles

⏱ 50 min · Serves 4

Hanoi's most famous single-dish restaurant in one pan: chunks of white fish marinated in turmeric, galangal and fermented rice, seared until golden, then tumbled with a small forest of dill and spring onion. Pile it over cool rice vermicelli with roasted peanuts and a sharp-sweet nuoc cham, and you've got a table that smells like Old Quarter smoke.

Per serving: 662 kcal · 45.0g protein · 72.0g carbs · 22.0g fat

Ingredients

• 700g firm white fish fillets (cod, halibut or catfish), skinned, cut into 4cm chunks
• 1 tbsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp fresh galangal or ginger, finely grated
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp plain yoghurt or 2 tsp minced fermented rice (com me), optional
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil, plus 2 tbsp for frying
• 2 large bunches dill (about 100g), thick stems removed, cut into 6cm lengths
• 6 spring onions, cut into 5cm lengths
• 300g dried rice vermicelli
• 60g roasted peanuts, roughly crushed
• Handful of Thai basil, coriander and mint leaves
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
• For the nuoc cham: 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 5 tbsp warm water
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced

Method

1. Pat the fish very dry. In a bowl, mix turmeric, galangal, garlic, fish sauce, yoghurt (or fermented rice), sugar, salt and 1 tbsp oil into a paste. Fold through the fish, cover and marinate 30 minutes in the fridge.
2. Make the nuoc cham: stir sugar into the warm water until dissolved, then add fish sauce, lime juice, garlic and chilli. Taste — it should be sharp, salty and just sweet. Set aside.
3. Cook the vermicelli to packet instructions, drain, rinse under cold water and drain well. Divide between four bowls.
4. Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Add the fish in a single layer and fry undisturbed for 3–4 minutes until a deep golden crust forms.
5. Turn each piece carefully and fry another 3 minutes until just cooked through. Lift onto a plate.
6. Add the last 2 tbsp oil to the hot pan, throw in the spring onions and stir 30 seconds, then add all the dill. Toss for 45–60 seconds only — it should wilt but stay bright green and fragrant.
7. Return the fish to the pan, toss gently once or twice to coat in the dill oil, and take straight to the table in the pan.
8. Serve over the noodles with crushed peanuts, herbs, lime wedges and plenty of nuoc cham spooned over.