5 fresh red chillies, roughly chopped, seeds and all
4–5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
4–5 lime leaves
2 lemongrass stalks, roughly chopped
a thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
For the noodles:
200g thick, flat rice noodles (10mm)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp grated garlic
16 fresh prawns, shelled and deveined
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
2 spring onions, thinly sliced at an angle
3–4 tbsp chicken stock
1 egg
a drizzle of sesame oil
To garnish:
a handful of beansprouts
a handful of peanuts
thinly sliced fresh red chilli
thinly sliced spring onions
a drizzle of soy sauce
lime wedges
Method:
To make the spice paste, blend all the ingredients until smooth in a high-speed blender or crush them together in a pestle and mortar. You need only 1 tablespoon for this recipe, so store the rest in a Kilner jar with a layer of oil on top in the fridge, like you’d store a pesto, for up to one week or you can freeze it in an ice cube tray, then pop the frozen cubes into a freezerproof bag.
Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large wok or frying pan on a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add 1 tablespoon of the spice paste and cook for 30 seconds, then add the prawns, dark soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the cooked, drained noodles, the spring onions and the chicken broth. Turn up the heat to high and continue to cook, stirring constantly, to reduce the sauce.
Crack in the egg and cook for 1 minute, stirring to bring it all together, then add a drizzle of sesame oil.
Divide the noodles between two plates and garnish with whatever you’d like. Eat straight away because the noodles get too soft and stodgy if they go cold.
