Vietnamese Recipes - Rice Noodles with Stir-fried Prawns (Bun Tom)

Ingredients

• 450 g/1 lb uncooked prawns, shelled, deveined and halved lengthwise

• 2 teaspoons fish sauce

• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped pepper

• 225 g/8 oz dried rice sticks (banh pho, 5 mm/1/4 inch wide), soaked in warm water for 30 minutes, drained

• 200 g/7 oz fresh bean sprouts, rinsed and rained

• 1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil

• 2 shallots, thinly sliced

• 1/2 red pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips

• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced

• 50 g/2 oz roasted peanuts, coarsely ground

• double quantity of Chili dipping sauce

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Method:

1. In a bowl, combine the prawns with the fish sauce, garlic and some freshly ground black pepper. Cover and leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2. Bring 2 liters/3 1/2 pints water to the boil in a large saucepan, add a good pinch of salt, then drop in the drained noodles. After the water returns to the boil, cook until the noodles are just tender: no more than 1 minute. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the bean sprouts. Drain into a colander and refresh under cold running water. Drain well.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or large trying pan over high heat. Add the shallots and stir-try until soft. Add the prawns and their marinade and stir-try until they turn pink and curl, about 1 minute. Add the red pepper and spring onions and cook for a further 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

4. Put the noodle mixture in a large bowl, add the stir-fried prawns and ground peanuts, drizzle the Chili dipping sauce over and toss thoroughly. Serve immediately, garnished with coriander.

This is a complete meal-in-one-dish, but if you like you could precede it with a light vegetable soup.