Clean the squid and slice into rings.

Clean the shrimp, remove the heads and legs.

Clean the fish and cut into pieces.

Place the fermented fish paste in a pot, add a little water, and simmer over low heat until the fish dissolves and the broth thickens. Turn off the heat and strain to remove solids, keeping only the broth.

Wash the eggplants and cut into long pieces.

Heat a little oil in a pan, sauté the white part of the scallions until fragrant. Add lemongrass and stir-fry until aromatic, then add the eggplant and stir-fry until slightly tender.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the strained fish broth, then add the eggplant. When the mixture boils, add all the shrimp, squid, fish cake, and fish. Season to taste.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with roasted pork belly, scallions, and cilantro.

Prepare a small bowl of fish sauce with sliced chili for dipping the fish, shrimp, and squid.