Red Snapper Soup with Fresh Bean Sprouts and Garlic Oil

• Recipe by Charles Phan

Phan recalls eating numerous versions of this slightly sweet and pleasantly tangy fish soup while growing up in Vietnam. Some included only chopped tomato while others were made with a colorful mix of vegetables. Here, he adds freshly squeezed lime juice for a hit of sourness instead of the more traditional tamarind pulp. He adds bean sprouts to the soup for a refreshing crunch.

Ingredients

1. 3 quarts cold water
2. Two 2-pound red snappers, filleted and skinned, heads and bones reserved
3. 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
4. 2 stalks of lemongrass, cut into 5-inch lengths and lightly crushed
5. One 1 1/4-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
6. 1 small onion, quartered
7. Kosher salt
8. 1/2 cup canola oil
9. 3 large garlic cloves, minced
10. 1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
11. 6 ounces mung bean sprouts
12. 4 scallions, thinly sliced
13. Thinly sliced serrano chiles and lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Pour the water into a large stockpot. Add the fish heads and bones, 3 tablespoons of the fish sauce and the lemongrass, ginger, onion and 2 teaspoons of kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, cut the snapper fillets into 1 1/2-inch pieces and transfer to a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, the remaining 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and toss. Refrigerate the fish for 1 hour.
3. Heat the remaining 6 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 30 seconds. Pour the garlic oil into a bowl and let cool.
4. Strain the soup through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the solids. Wipe out the pot. Return the fish soup to it and bring to a boil. Add the mushrooms and simmer over moderate heat until just tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinated snapper and cook just until opaque, about 2 minutes. Season the soup with salt. Add the bean sprouts and scallions and stir in the garlic oil. Serve right away with sliced chiles and lime wedges.

Make Ahead

The snapper fillets can be marinated overnight in the refrigerator.