Soups Recipes - Sour Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• vegetable oil, for deep-frying

• 225g/8oz firm tofu, rinsed, drained and cut into cubes

• 60ml/4 tbsp dried prawns (shrimp), soaked until rehydrated

• 5ml/1 tsp shrimp paste

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• 4-6 dried red chilies, soaked to soften, drained, seeded and the pulp scraped out

• 90g/3 1/2oz/3/4 cup roasted peanuts, ground

• 50g/2oz salted soy beans

• 2 lemon grass stalks, trimmed, halved and bruised

• 30ml/2 tbsp sugar

• 15-30ml/1-2 tbsp tamarind paste

• 150g/5oz dried rice vermicelli, soaked in hot water until pliable

• a handful of bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

• 4 quail's eggs, hard-boiled, shelled and halved

• 2 spring onions (scallions), sliced

• salt and ground black pepper

• fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, finely chopped, to garnish

Serves 4

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Method:

1. In a wok, heat enough vegetable oil for deep-frying. Drop in the tofu and deep-fry until golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

2. Grind the soaked dried prawns with the shrimp paste, garlic and chili pulp to form a paste.

3. Heat 30ml/2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok and fry the paste for 1 minute. Add the peanuts, soy beans and lemon grass. Fry for another minute and stir in the sugar and tamarind paste, followed by 900ml/3 3/4 cups water.

4. Mix well, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Drain the noodles and heat through in the broth. Divide among individual bowls, sprinkle over the bean sprouts and add the tofu, quail's eggs and spring onions.

6. Garnish with the coriander and serve.