Miến lươn

Keep the eel cold. Buy it refrigerated or displayed on fresh ice and ask the fishmonger to clean and gut it while retaining the bones. It should smell mild, not sour or ammonia-like. Refrigerate at or below 4°C / 40°F, apart from herbs, and cook within 1–2 days. Use a separate board and knife for raw fish.

Steam and debone. Arrange the eel with 20 g sliced ginger in a steamer. Steam for about 12–15 minutes, until the thickest flesh reaches at least 63°C / 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, checked away from bone. Rest for 5 minutes, then separate the meat from the bones and reserve both. Discard the steaming liquid.

Make the broth. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the 20 g thickly sliced ginger, 30 g halved shallots and 20 g dried squid for 4–5 minutes, turning until aromatic and lightly browned. Put them in a stockpot with the eel bones, 2,000 ml water and 3 g salt. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer uncovered for 45 minutes. Strain carefully and discard the bones, squid and aromatics.

Sauté the eel. Heat 15 ml oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Cook the 30 g sliced shallots for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cooked eel meat, 15 ml fish sauce and 1 g pepper; sauté gently for 5–6 minutes until hot and lightly golden, taking care not to break the pieces. Keep warm.

Prepare the noodles. Rinse the 200 g noodles and cut them into manageable lengths. Blanch in a separate pot of boiling water for 1–2 minutes, until supple but still springy; drain. Briefly dip each portion in the strained broth to warm it. Bring the remaining broth back to a simmer for serving.

Assemble. Divide noodles among four bowls. Add eel, scallions and rau răm. Ladle over the hot broth and finish with the remaining 1 g pepper. Serve immediately. The eel in this version is tender, not deep-fried crisp.

Store safely. Cool leftovers promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room is above 32°C / 90°F. Keep at or below 4°C / 40°F and use within 3 days. Store broth, eel and noodles separately if possible. Reheat soup and eel to 74°C / 165°F; make fresh noodles for serving.