Rukmini Iyer's cold lemongrass and coconut prawn noodles offer a refreshing, Thai-inspired meal that's ready in just 20 minutes of active preparation, plus chilling time. This recipe, featured in The Guardian, delivers a big bowl of soupy noodles with turmeric, coconut milk, and a chilli kick, perfect for when you're under the weather or craving something light yet flavorful.
A Versatile Soup Base for All Tastes
The soup base adapts easily to vegetarian diets by adding cubed tofu, or to using leftovers like shredded roast chicken. With a generous amount of broth, it's ideal for serving in your best ramen or soup bowls. The choice of noodles is flexible: rice noodles (flat or vermicelli) work well for a gluten-free option, but Iyer prefers thick straight-to-wok udon for its satisfying texture.
Simple Ingredients, Bold Flavors
The recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of neutral oil, 150g of fresh shiitake or chestnut mushrooms, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, a 400ml tin of coconut milk, a 150g pack of thick udon noodles, 2 heads of pak choi finely sliced, and 150g of peeled, deveined prawns. The base combines lemongrass, spring onions, garlic, a red chilli, fresh ginger, turmeric root (or ground turmeric), and lime zest and juice.
Step-by-Step Preparation
Start by finely grating all base ingredients except the lime juice, or roughly chop and blend them into a paste. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-low heat, add the paste, and fry for three minutes. Add the mushrooms and fry for another five minutes, then stir in the salt, coconut milk, and 400ml of just-boiled water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let it cool before chilling for at least two hours.
For a hot version, once the broth is boiling, add the pak choi and simmer for two minutes, then add the noodles and prawns and cook for two more minutes. For the cold version, boil the noodles and pak choi in salted water for a minute, add the prawns, and simmer until pink. Drain, rinse under cold water, arrange in bowls, and pour the cold broth over the top. Finish with lime juice and serve.
Chef's Tips and Serving Suggestions
Iyer warns against putting a whole lemongrass stick in a blender, as it can break the appliance. If using tofu or leftover chicken, add it with the pak choi to simmer for the full four minutes. This dish serves two and is a perfect make-ahead meal for summer, offering a hydrating and flavorful option that can be enjoyed chilled.
