Curried Noodles and Prawns

To say that I had no idea what we were having for dinner last night was a pretty correct statement!!

I literally was wandering around up at the shops hoping that something would fly out and give me inspiration!  Well, in a way it did.  I was walking past my local fish shop and there they were - beautiful little school prawns on special - $10 per kilo!!  I love those sweet little prawns - fiddly to peel, but oh so worth it.  OK - I now have the main ingredient - but what to do with them?

I still wasn't really 100% sure what I was going to make with these prawns even as I started making dinner.  I Rifled through the cupboard - had some noodles, coconut cream, curry paste - yes - that was what I wanted - some form of curried prawns!!!!  So here is what eventually transpired as I cooked my way to the curried prawn flavour!!

Curried Noodles and Prawns


Serves 4 +

375g egg noodles (I used flat)
1 tbs sesame oil
1 1/2 tbs yellow curry paste
1 x french eschalot, finely diced
1 red chilli, finely diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
400ml light coconut cream
400ml chicken/fish/vegetable stock *
1-2 tbs palm sugar **
1 tbs dary soy sauce
3 tbs ketchap manis
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 3cm pieces
1 bunch bok choy, cut into 5cm pieces
1/2 red capsicum, diced
1 carrot, sliced on the diagonal
1 kg peeled school prawns

Cooke noodles according to packet directions.  Drain well.

Heat the sesame oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the eschalots and garlic, and capsicum, cook stirring for 2-3 minutes, or until they start to soften.  Add the curry paste and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.  Add a small amount of the coconut cream, mix well and then add the remainder of the coconut cream and the stock.  Bring to the boil.  Add the asparagus, carrot, palm sugar, dark soy, and ketchap manis, cook for 1 minute, then add the bok choy, noodles, and the prawns.

Toss to combine and continue cooking for another minute or so, or until all is heated through.

Serve in bowls.

* I still have some concentrated vegetable stock we made in the Thermomix - so I used 1 tbs of this with 400ml of water - you can use either chicken/fish or vegetable stock instead!

** I used the Jeeny's brand palm sugar - this comes in "tablet" form - so I used 2 "tablets"!  Which I am guessing is around 2 tablespoons.

The verdict - a slurpingly good meal!!  Not quite a soup - but too sloppy for just noodles - and the flavour - spot on!!!  That's the great thing when you cook with a flavour in mind - you just keep adding until you get the flavour you were searching for!!!  Suffice to say "The Darlings" were not home last night - they are away on school excursion - 2 nights peace!!! (and yes, we live in Sydney and yes, it's raining!!! Poor little things will be home tonight - drenched I am sure - but tired and happy at the same time!!!).

So Dear Readers when you embark on a little cooking adventure with a specific taste in mind where do you head - spicy, sweet????  Do tell.