The p(r)awns of fate

It’s only been in this year that I have come to grips with prawns. Literally. I love prawns as an ingredient, and there are some prawn dishes which remind me so much of the love that can be conveyed via food. In the Eighties, my dad would make us kids prawn cocktail, presented the way they used to do it in the iconic Coliseum restaurant - complete with shelled prawns hooked over the rim of a stemmed glass, shredded lettuce at the bottom and a wedge of lemon.

However, it was only after Kit and I wrote and shot the Genting 45^th anniversary recipe book that I became actually interested in working with prawns. I have always thought of them as a little macabre. All those long feelers and sharp ridges are just an accident waiting to happen to hands which deal with keyboards and pens.

Still, we were served some fantastic prawn noodles by a chef from Awana Genting Highlands, who turned in his recipe for the book. Kit is a huge prawn noodles fan and itched to try the recipe out. But it turned out to be the squeamish wifey who collected shells, shelled more prawns and actually turned out the dish.

My folks were the guinea pigs and they deemed it quite a success. It was a bit of a backhanded compliment, as dad came to the dinner bearing a lot of prawn noodle stock which he made from a pre-prepared mix. I have to say mine was better! But I would, wouldn’t I?

Still, it was enough of a coup for me to do it again, and this time I had Yazrul, Sharons Tan and Lee, Vin and Jessie to bear witness to my labour of love. They all thought it rocked, so I feel quite vindicated for those hours of stock boiling and the constant taste, taste, tasting.

Thanks chef Kenny Wong, for starting me down the path to 'har'-dom.

I’m sharing chef Kenny Wong’s recipe here. I add a lot of other stuff to make it taste the way I think it should, but as a base, this is a great start!

Classic Prawn Noodles

Ingredients

50 g        Sugar

30 g        Salt

60 g        Prawn paste

150 g      Oil

100 g      Fried onions

60 g        Prawn stock powder

50 g        Chilli powder

35 g        Garlic

20 g        Tamarind

200 g      Prawn shell (grilled till crispy)

5 lit         Water

Method 

1. Heat oil in a pot and sauté all ingredients for about 10 minutes.

2.       2. Add water and simmer for 1 hour.

3.       Blanch noodles just before serving. Place in serving bowl and cover with soup. Add garnishing of choice (usually fish cake, whole prawns and steamed vegetables, topped with deep fried shallots).

A thing of beauty should also taste good!