Rice and chilli fish ball soup

Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked rice - leftover is fine
For the soup stock
  • 500ml water
  • 1 inch ginger root, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 2-3 tsp fish sauce
  • Half packet of prepared chilli fish balls (6-7 balls)
Toppings
  • 1 spring onion, sliced
  • 2 tbs chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
  • 1 green chilli, sliced thinly
  • 2-3 tsp soy bean paste (optional)
Instructions
In a pan add the ginger, garlic and fish sauce to the water, and bring gently to a simmer. Add the fish balls and cook for 8-10 mins. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce if you like. If you're going to add soy bean sauce as a topping then don't add too much fish sauce to the soup else it will be too salty.
While the soup is simmering, prepare the spring onions, chilli and coriander.
Heat the rice. I use leftover rice and make this soup for breakfast, so I microwave the rice for 60 seconds. Alternatively you can cook rice in your preferred method.
Put the rice in a soup dish and pour over the soup stock and fish balls. Garnish with the spring onion, chilli, coriander, and if you like, some soy bean paste. I use Thai Healthy Boy brand, as it's nice with fish soup.

This soup is nice for breakfast. You can substitute fresh salmon for the fish balls if you like. Just slice the salmon and add to the simmering stock instead of fish balls. You can also add fried garlic or shallots too for an extra rich soup. Enjoy!