Miang pla too (mackerel lettuce wraps)

Boil the rice noodles until fully cooked and tender, not al dente; about 9 minutes for this size.

Move the noodles to a bowl of cold water to cool and wash off the starch so they do not gum together.

Lift out small amounts, shake to untangle, rest briefly on paper towel to absorb water, and coil into bite-sized bundles.

Blend garlic, chilies, palm sugar softened in hot water, fish sauce, fresh lime juice and a whole bunch of cilantro, stems included, into the sauce.

Pan-sear the mackerel to brown the skin; raw mackerel takes about one and a half minutes per side. Do not season it.

Once cooked, run a finger along the fish and pull out the pin bones, or warn guests.

Line a platter or bamboo basket with cleaned banana leaves; arrange lettuce, sauce, shredded ginger, shallots, peanuts, noodle bundles and the fish; garnish with a couple of chilies.

Roast raw peanuts in the oven 15 to 20 minutes.

To eat, wrap a piece of fish, a noodle bundle, ginger, shallots and peanuts in lettuce and top with sauce.