Rakhine Mont Ti

(A-Pu Hlya-Pu)

 

This week, we present the preparation of Rakhine Mont Ti, also known as A-Pu Hlya-Pu, a traditional dish of the Rakhine ethnic people and one of the most beloved foods among Myanmar people. Rakhine Mont Ti can be enjoyed in two styles: Mont Ti soup (with broth) and Mont Ti salad. It is commonly eaten as a daily snack, breakfast, or light meal in the morning, afternoon, or evening, and is also frequently served at religious donations and ceremonial events.

 

Ingredients

Rice noodles (Mont Ti noo­dles)

Fish of choice (golden carp, snakehead, rohu, or any pre­ferred fish)

Salt

Fish paste

Black pepper

Garlic

Bataegaw (optional)

Fried beans or fish cakes

Coriander leaves

Thinly sliced onions (fried shallots)

A-Pu Hlya-Pu chilli paste

Tamarind juice or Garcinia (sour fruit) juice (or lime/ lemon)

 

How to Prepare Rakhine Mont Ti Soup

Clean the selected fish thor­oughly and boil for about three to four minutes.

 

Set the fish stock aside. Re­move bones and skin from the fish, then shape the flesh into small balls by hand. (Re­serve a small portion of the fish for the chilli prepara­tion.)

 

Add the required amount of water to the reserved fish stock and bring it to a roll­ing boil.

Lightly crush the Bataeg­aw leaves and roots and add them to the pot at the begin­ning of boiling.

 

Add finely ground black pep­per and coarsely crushed garlic into the boiling stock. (Leaving the garlic unpeeled enhances the aroma.)

 

Add fish paste in moderation (adjust as needed), salt, and seasoning powder or dried shrimp powder. Cover the pot and simmer for about 15 minutes.

 

Add the fish balls and let the soup boil again. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.

Once the flavour is balanced, the Mont Ti soup is ready.

 

How to Prepare A-Pu Hlya-Pu Chilli Paste

Roast a small number of green chillies together with fish paste. Pound them with a little black pepper and garlic until semi-smooth. This chilli paste is ready to be served with Rakh­ine Mont Ti.

 

How to Prepare A-Pu Hlya-Pu Chilli Sauce

In a small pot, com­bine the A-Pu Hlya- Pu chilli paste, some reserved fish balls, and a small amount of Mont Ti broth. Simmer until well-cooked and slightly thickened. This chilli sauce can be mixed into the Mont Ti soup or used for the Mont Ti salad.

 

Serving Rakhine Mont Ti

Add rice noodles to hot Mont Ti soup, then top with fried beans or fish cakes, thinly sliced on­ions (optional), coriander leaves, fried shallots, and tamarind juice. Serve hot and enjoy. As the name A-Pu Hlya-Pu suggests, Rakh­ine Mont Ti salad can be enjoyed with either chilli sauce or chilli paste.

 

Rakhine Mont Ti Salad

Place a portion of rice noo­dles in a bowl and add an appro­priate amount of A-Pu Hlya-Pu chilli paste or chilli sauce. Sea­son with salt, seasoning powder, and tamarind juice, and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves, thinly sliced onions, fried shal­lots, fish cakes, and fried beans before serving.

 

(For a slightly saucy salad, use the chilli sauce; for a dry-style salad, use the chilli paste.) – Moon

(Note: Bataegaw - ginger-like root/wild coriander/culantro (Eryngium foetidum); A-Pu Hlya-Pu – Rakhine-style spicy fish chilli pastes)