This is exactly what I want to eat when I’m under the weather: a big bowl of Thai-inspired, soupy noodles with turmeric and coconut milk, all spiked with chilli. The soup base works just as well for vegetarians, with cubed tofu, or for leftovers such as shredded roast chicken.
It makes a lot of broth, and hydration is important, so serve it in your best ramen or soup bowls. The noodle choice is flexible: rice noodles, either flat or vermicelli, work well for a gluten-free option, but I inevitably use my favourite straight-to-wok thick udon.
What ingredients do you need?
For the cold lemongrass and coconut prawn noodles, you will need the following ingredients. If you’re using tofu or leftover shredded cooked chicken, add it with the pak choi so it simmers for four minutes in total.
Prep: 5 min. Cook: 15 min. Chill: 2 hr+. Serves 2.
2 tbsp neutral oil
150g fresh shiitake or chestnut mushrooms
1 tsp sea salt
400ml tin coconut milk
150g pack thick straight-to-wok udon noodles
2 heads pak choi, finely sliced
150g prawns, peeled and deveined
For the base: 1 lemongrass stalk, 2 spring onions, trimmed, 2 garlic cloves, peeled, 1 fat red chilli, 4cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, 1cm piece turmeric root, or ½ tsp ground turmeric, and finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime, plus wedges to serve.
How do you make the base?
Finely grate all the base ingredients bar the lime juice; alternatively, roughly chop the lemongrass and spring onions, then put them in a blender with the other base ingredients, again bar the lime juice, and blitz to a rough paste. Do not, as I have done in the past, put a whole stick of lemongrass in the blender: the blender will break and you will be sad.
Do not, as I have done in the past, put a whole stick of lemongrass in the blender: the blender will break and you will be sad.
How do you cook the broth?
Put the oil in a large saucepan on a medium to low heat, then add the chopped lemongrass-chilli-ginger paste and fry, stirring constantly, for three minutes. Add the mushrooms, fry, still stirring, for a further five minutes, then add the salt, coconut milk and 400ml of just-boiled water.
Bring the broth to a boil, then take it off the heat and leave it to cool. Once cooled, chill it for at least two hours. This makes a lot of broth, so the cold version is designed to be generous and refreshing.
Can you serve it hot instead?
Yes. Alternatively, for a hot version, once the broth is boiling, add the pak choi and simmer for two minutes. Taste the broth, adding salt as needed, then add the noodles and prawns, and simmer for two minutes, until they are cooked through.
What is the final assembly?
Just before you want to eat, bring a pan of salted water to a boil, then drop in the noodles and pak choi. Boil for a minute, then add the prawns and simmer for a further minute until they turn pink and are cooked through. Drain well, then rinse under the cold tap.
Arrange the noodles, pak choi and prawns in bowls, then pour the cold broth all over the top. Season with the lime juice and serve. Use rice noodles, either flat or vermicelli, for a gluten-free option, or thick straight-to-wok udon if you prefer that texture.
Key Facts
- Recipe: Cold lemongrass and coconut prawn noodles
- Prep time: 5 min
- Cook time: 15 min
- Chill time: 2 hr+
- Serves: 2
