Bánh canh chả cá Phan Rang

Keep all fish at or below 4°C / 40°F until preparation. Briefly blanch the frames in 1.5 litres boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, discard that water and rinse the pot. Put the frames in the clean pot with 2.2 litres fresh water, onion and ginger. Bring just to a simmer, skim, then simmer gently for 35 minutes; do not let it boil hard.

Strain the stock through a fine sieve and return it to the clean pot. Keep it at a gentle simmer. Add the 300 g fillet in large pieces and poach for 5–7 minutes, until opaque and 63°C / 145°F at the center. Lift out, cool briefly and flake. Season the broth with 5 g salt, 20 ml fish sauce, 10 g sugar and 1 g black pepper; keep hot without a rolling boil.

Cut the very cold 400 g fillet into chunks. Process with 2 g salt, 10 ml fish sauce, 1 g pepper and 30 ml ice-cold water, scraping once, until smooth, sticky and elastic. Keep cold. With clean damp hands, shape into 8 equal thin patties. Wash your hands and raw-fish tools before handling cooked food.

Put 4 patties in a lined steamer basket and steam covered for 12–15 minutes. Cook the other 4 in a nonstick skillet with 15 ml oil over medium heat, turning once, for about 2–3 minutes per side. Check a thick cake from each batch: the center must reach 63°C / 145°F, or be fully opaque and hot through. Keep cooked cakes away from raw-fish utensils.

Bring 3 litres fresh water to a boil in the noodle pot. Add the 800 g noodles and cook to the package directions, usually 2–4 minutes, until tender but springy. Drain and briefly rinse with hot water to remove loose starch. Keep the noodles separate from the broth until serving.

Stir together 10 ml fish sauce, 30 ml water, 20 ml lime juice, 5 g sugar and 5 g sliced chili. Divide the hot noodles among 4 bowls. Add flaked fish and one steamed plus one fried fishcake to each. Ladle in about 400 ml broth per bowl and top with scallions, coriander, black pepper if desired, chili and lime wedges.

Serve immediately. Refrigerate any broth, fish, cakes or noodles not being served within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F); cool components separately in shallow containers, keep at or below 4°C / 40°F and use within 24 hours. Reheat only the portions to serve until steaming hot throughout.