The Burmese breakfast stew or Mohinga is the national dish of Myanmar in its own right. This savory and fulfilling noodle soup contains hearty ingredients packed with classic Burmese flavor, all in one bowl. Make this delicious stew to start your day with a powerful punch.

Ingredients (For 4 Servings)

The Ground Toasted Rice:

• Uncooked Jasmine rice, ½ cup

The Broth:

• Water, 3 quarts • Freshly ground black and white pepper, 1½ teaspoons each • Dry bay leaves, 5 pieces • Lemongrass, 3 stalks (Peeled, slightly bruised, and cut into 3-inches pieces.) • Ginger, 4-inch piece (Cut crosswise into thick slices.) • Catfish fillets, 6 pieces or 2½ pounds (Skinned and deboned.) • Kosher salt, as per taste

The Soup:

• Vegetable oil, 1/3 cup • Finely minced lemongrass, 1 stalk • Minced garlic, ¼ cup • Minced ginger, 3 tablespoons • Red onions, 2 (Peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces) • Paprika, 1 tablespoon • Turmeric, 1 teaspoon • Fish sauce, ¼ cup • Kosher salt, as per taste

Serving:

• Fine round rice noodles, 10 ounces • Hard-boiled eggs, 4 (Sliced in halves) • Chopped cilantro, ½ cup • Medium-sized or 6 ounces red onion, ½ (Thinly sliced) • Limes, 2 (Cut into quarters)

Preparation

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Take a sheet pan and layout the uncooked rice evenly on it. Toast the rice for 30 minutes for 10 minutes. Cooldown to room temperature, and grind it to a fine powder.

• Add water in a 4 quart-sized pot, and add bay leaves, ginger, lemongrass, black, white peppercorns, and salt. Cook for 15 minutes.

• Put the fish fillets into the pot. Bring the mixture again to a simmer and gently cook the fish for 15 minutes. Then carefully lift the fish out of the broth and reserve for later.

• Next, strain the broth. Rinse the pot and pour the clear broth back again. Heat over medium heat and bring it to a simmer. Meanwhile, take a small bowl and whisk the powdered rice together with a ladleful of broth. Keep whisking until no lumps remain. Then stir the mixture into the broth and bring it to a simmer until it thickens slightly.

• Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic, ginger, and lemongrass and stir fry for 1 minute. Then add the cooked fish fillets, turmeric, and paprika, and mash everything into a paste. Pour the contents into the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Next, add the fish sauce and red onions, and cook for 10 minutes. Season the broth with salt, and keep it hot till the serving time.

• Meanwhile boil the noodles for 3-4 minutes. Drain the noodles and divide them noodles among 4 bowls. Ladle the hot soup over it. Top each bowl with a halved boiled egg, thinly sliced red onions, fresh cilantro, and lime wedges. Serve piping hot.

A young couple from Budapest wanted a holiday home on Lake Tisza, and investing in a houseboat was the logical next step. As exciting as it may sound, things are about to elevate as this is not just a regular boat with a bedroom in it. It’s a legit floating summer home that was specifically designed to fit in Lake Tisza’s natural surroundings.

The Lake Requires a Certain Type of Design

Designing a home and meeting specific interior requirements is a hard job on its own, but a true professional thinks about the exterior in a way that complements its surroundings. When the surroundings, however, are a 7,000-hectare artificial reservoir and nature reserve that is home to a menagerie of wildlife including more than 100 different bird species, things get a bit more tricky.

However, Hungarian architect Tamás Bene accepted the challenge, and according to local fishermen, there is no reflection about the houseboat design and they’ve only expressed that it has a ‘good ambiance.’ The architect believes this is a good sign, proving that he managed to create “an unimposing object that fits in with the natural environment and is in harmony with its surroundings.”

The Smart Decisions on the Houseboat

Mr. Bene researched houseboats and fishing boats to discover that there is not an established particular design over the years. He concluded that each owner develops their boat according to their ideas and needs.

The goal was spilling as much nature into the interior as possible, which was achieved by a large panoramic window, gracing the bow of the houseboat while sliding doors ensure to create a seamless transition onto the rear deck. The rest of the interior is paneled in a mixture of thermowood and redwood, including a small kitchen and dining setup with two benches and a table.

Here’s when practicality meets small spaces as the tabletop can be lowered to the height of the benches and unfolded to create a double bed with the cushions doubling up as a mattress. To solve the electricity problem, the architect decided to install two solar panels on the roof.