This dish came about because it was late and I had absolutely nothing planned for dinner and, further more, nothing in the fridge either. I cobbled this together from what I had lying about in the freezer and the pantry and it was incredibly delicious!
I drew it together from 3 or so sources. A Nigella chicken noodle thing I saw on tv the night before, my Spicy Butternut Squash Soup and my Malaysian Chicken. All brought together by desperation and hunger and, my goodness, it was delicious! Vary the ingredients as to what you can drag up from your stash or follow it to the letter, it’s incredibly versatile.
ETA: I forgot the vital ingredient! Fish sauce! Without it the shrimp, lime and butternut present a rather sweet front, it needs the tang to cut through that and make it a savoury whole.
Serves 2
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried chilli
~ 1″ fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tin coconut milk
1 pint chicken stock
1 tbsp turmeric
a few handfuls chopped butternut squash (mine was frozen, possibly since the last ice age)
1 small tin bamboo shoots
~250g king prawns (again, frozen)
2-3 sheets/blocks of noodles (I used ramen but egg, soba, vermicelli or, in fact, any noodles will do)
2-3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp dried corriander (or 1 tbsp fresh if you have it)
– Heat some oil in a deep pan then chuck in the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger along with a good pinch of salt.
– Gently fry until soft.
– Add the coconut milk, stock and turmeric.
– Add the butternut squash.
– Simmer for 20 mins or so, until the squash is cooked. I like to mash it a tiny but with the spoon so you get a good variety of sizes and textures.
– Add the bamboo shoots and prawns and simmer for another 10 minutes.
– Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes, breaking up the noodles when they get soft enough.
– Add the fish sauce and corriander and stir thorough.
– Serve in big bowls and enjoy!
Anna in the kitchen 