SINGAPORE NOODLES WITH PRAWNS FROM THE STREETS OF BANGKOK

This recipe is my life saver – quick, easy with a minimum of ingredients and maximum flavour - no wonder it is one of the most popular dishes cooked on the streets of Bangkok.

Keep a pack of pre-cooked noodles in your pantry and a pack of frozen prawns in the freezer and with the help of a few fresh vegetables your midweek dinner will be cooked in a flash.  And you can always substitute fresh vegetables with a can of corn kernels or frozen peas, just keep the flavours sharp and fresh.

To feed 4 people you need:

1 pack of Singapore noodles or any noodles of your choice

2 eggs lightly beaten

250g fresh or frozen prawns, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp rice bran oil or any vegetable oil

4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 red capsicums, deseeded and cut into strips

½ tsp tumeric

200g (half a bunch) gai lan (Chinese broccoli) chopped

1 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1½ tbsp sesame oil

8 spring onions, chopped diagonally for nice presentation

1 cup bean sprouts

Method:

Prepare the noodles as per the instructions.  

Heat half of the oil in a wok over medium heat and once heated, add the egg mixture swirling it gently for 1 minute or until the eggs are almost set, then slide on to a board, slice into strips and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil, add the onion, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until softened.  Then add sliced capsicum, tumeric and gai lan and continue cooking for another minute or until the broccoli has just wilted.

Add the prawns and stir fry them for about 2 minutes.  Then add noodles, oyster sauce, light soy sauce and sesame oil.  Gently toss it all together so the noodles are fully covered with the sauce.

Slice the omelette into strips and stir through together with bean sprouts.  Sadly, I don’t like bean sprouts at all and never use them in cooking.

Serve garnished with spring onions and lime wedges.

Enjoy!!!

FISH IN "CRAZY" WATER

This is one of the most popular fish recipes you would find on the menus of the myriads of restaurants that are dotted all along the Amalfi coast of Italy.  Among Italians it is known as Pesce all'acqua pazza or Fish in crazy water, referring both to the aromatic herbed broth it is cooked in and the generic recipe for poached fish.  

Traditionally, this method calls for small fish such as bream or snapper, however after some experimentation, I came to the conclusion that fish fillets work just as well.  Not only you don't need to deal with bones especially if your household includes children but also the portions seem to be more of an even size, they present well and are easy to cook. Above all that, the fish tastes delicious which is exactly what we are after.

To feed 6 people you need:

200ml dry white wine

200ml water

1 tsp sea salt flakes

1 tsp of freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp olive oil

2 small whole bream or snapper, 500 each, cleaned and scaled

or 6 fillets of any white fish about 250 gr each

1 punnet (250g) of cherry tomatoes

2 tbsp basil leaves, torn

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tbsp capers

2 tbsp flat parsley leaves, torn

1 lemon, quartered

Method:
Cut the tomatoes in halve.  In a large frying pan, combine the wine, water, salt and olive oil and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes, then gently slip the fish into the broth, add the cherry tomatoes, basil, lemon zest and capers. 

Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 3 minutes, if using fillets.  If you are cooking a whole fish, cook it for about 5 minutes on each side.  Carefully turn the fish over and simmer for another 3-4 minutes, depending on the size.  It is cooked when the flesh parts from the bone at the touch of a knife.

Remove the fish onto warm plates, bring the broth to the boil and spoon over the fish.  Scatter with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

The broth is so good that you definitely don't want to waste it, so the best way to serve this dish is with young boiled potatoes or a bowl of plain pasta laced generously with extra virgin olive oil.

Enjoy!!!