Cook Book Recipe

Ingredients

4-5 large dried red chillies
500g- raw king prawns
1/3-cup (80ml) oil
1-red onion, roughly chopped
5-cm pieces galangal, peeled and roughly chopped
4-steam lemon grass white part only, sliced
3-red chillies, seeded and roughly chopped
10-candlenuts (see note)
2-teaspoons shrimp paste
2-teaspoons grated fresh turmeric
2-cup (500ml) coconut milk
8- Ready-made fried fish ball, sliced (see note)
500g- fresh rice noodles
1-2- Lebanese cucumber, juliened
100g- bean sprouts
2-tablespoons fresh Vietnamese mint leaves

Procedure

1. Put the chillies in a heatproof bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes.
2. Set aside 4 prawns and peel the remainder, retaining all the heads and shell. Heat a wok until very hot, add 1-tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. Add the head and shells and stir-fry for about 10 minutes, or until aromatic and bright, dark orange in color. Stir in 1-cup (250ml) water and bring to the boil. Add 1-liter and, when it has almost evaporated, add cup (250ml) water ads bring to the boil. Add 1 litre and water to the wok, bring to the boil again, and then reduce the heat and simmer or 30 minutes
3. Drain the chillies and place in a food processor with the onion, galangal, lemon grass, fresh chilli, candlenuts, shrimp paste, turmeric and 2-tablespoons oil Process until finely chopped
4. Add the 4 reserved whole prawn to the wok and coo for 10 minutes, or until they turn pink. Remove the prawn and stain the stock, discarding the shell. There should be about 2-3 cups (500-750ml) stock.
5. Heat a clean wok until very hot, add the remaining tablespoon oil and swirl to cat. Add the spice paste, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes, or until the mixture is very aromatic. Stir in the stock and coconut milk. Bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the prawn meat and fish ball slice, and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until the prawn turn pink
6. Bring a separate saucepan of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 30 second, without over cooking. Drain and divide among 4 deep soup bowls
7. Ladle the soup over the noodles. Garnish with the cucumber, bean sprout and mint, and top with a whole prawns. Serve immediately.