Rouget Barbet and Cicale di Mare (Mantis Shrimp) Soup

Rouget Barbet and Cicale di Mare Soup

I have been eyeing this weird-looking shellfish for a while now and only decided to buy it after I've had pasta cooked with it in a restaurant last Saturday. In Italian it's called Cicale di Mare, in English Mantis Shrimp. With a little leftover red fish, I made a Rouget Barbet and Cicale di Mare Soup Malay-style this morning.

The spice aroma in the kitchen is lovely. It's almost like making a seafood Pho. And the soup is clear and aromatic - almost like Mak's (yes, I'm still working on it).

Sup Ikan Version 2 :

200g Fish fillet or 600g whole Fish

250g Mantis Shrimp (can substitute with scampi, gambas...)

1 large Garlic clove (sliced)

1 piece Ginger (julienned)

1 Onion (sliced)

4 whole Cloves

1 Cinnamon bark

4 Cardamom pods

1 Star Anise

1 Potato (cubed)

1 Carrot (sliced)

4-5 Cherry Tomatoes (halved)

1 Chilli (sliced)

500ml Fish stock

Salt and Pepper to taste

Juice of 1 Lemon

Fresh Coriander Leaves

Fried Shallots

Fry the ginger, onion and garlic in a little oil till fragrant. Add in the whole spices followed by the mantis shrimp.

Cook for a minute and then add in the chopped potato, carrot, chilli and tomatoes.

Pour in the warm/hot fish stock. If I do not have fresh fish stock, I use an ikan bilis cube or fish stock found in the fridge section of my supermarket.

Gently add in the fish filets. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Add salt and pepper to taste and the juice of a lemon.

Garnish with coriander leaves and fried shallots and serve hot. The mantis shrimp doesn't yield much meat but is probably good for making seafood stock.

PS : Meimei told me that mantis shrimp is lailiu har in Cantonese. Literally it means "peeing prawns". Haha - and we all see the private joke in the family.