KERABU MEEHOON NYONYA (Spicy Prawn and Vermicelli Salad)

From “Malaysia: Recipes from a family kitchen,” by Ping Coombes, published by Weldon Owen, 2017.

This Nyonya dish, which combines Malay and Chinese flavours, is superb. It predominantly consists of noodles and prawns, with a flourish of fresh herbs, cucumber to add crunch, and tomatoes to temper the fiery sambal dressing – all held together by toasted coconut to add fragrance.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 100g dry rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles or meehoon)
• 100g bean sprouts
• 30g unsweetened desiccated coconut
• 150g cooked king prawns
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
• 4 coriander sprigs, leaves chopped
• 3 small, round shallots, sliced
• juice of ½ lime
• 1½ tbsp crispy shallots
• ½ tsp salt

For the dressing

• 1 quantity Sambal Belacan (page 34)
• 1½ tsp torch ginger bud purée (optional)

Preparation

1. Place the rice vermicelli and bean sprouts in a heat-proof bowl, cover with boiling water, and leave to soak for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water.
2. Toast the desiccated coconut in a small frying pan, moving it around the pan with a spatula so it toasts evenly, until brown all over. Watch it like a hawk as it can burn very quickly. Remove from the heat, set aside and leave to cool.
3. Blend the sambal belacan with the torch ginger bud purée, if using.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients, adding enough dressing and lime juice to coat it. Serve cold.