Prawn Mee Hoon Soup

What do you with discarded prawn shells and heads?  If you have been throwing them away, think again whether you should continue doing so the next time.  The shells and heads are precisely what you need to make the stock for this noodle soup recipe. I don't cook prawns very often but when I do, I save the shells and heads. To remove the entire traces of raw smell, I will squeeze and rub lemon juice over them followed by rinsing and draining off the excess water. Right after that, the shells and heads are packed and stored in the freezer. They can remain in the freezer for about 6 months. When I need to make the stock, I bring them out, defrost and start with the next process.

The basic perfumed prawn stock by itself is flavorful yet I find that a teaspoon of anchovies granules adds a lap of enhancement. While the stock is simmering over low heat, get moving with preparing the ingredients for the accompaniments. Within an hour, the dish should be ready to be enjoyed.  To go with the bowl of piping hot bowl of noodles, I made a sambal/chili-based sauce.  Dip the noodles and accompaniments inside the sauce for the intense and dynamic flavors.  Or you can mix the sauce into into the soup before eating. 

Ingredients

For the stock

2 1/2 cup prawn heads and shells

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp anchovies granules

1 liter of water

Salt for taste

Accompaniments

Fresh prawns - de-vein and rinsed

Mee hoon - soaked and soften

Bak choy or any other green leafy veggie – rinsed and cut into pieces.

Chinese black fungus - soaked to soften and sliced into long pieces

Spring onions - shredded

Calamansi lime

*** Amount as per your preferences

Chili Dipping Sauce

1-2 tbsp dried chili paste

2 shallots - chopped

2 garlic - chopped

1/2 tsp shrimp paste/belacan powder

Salt for taste

2 tbsp of oil

Method

Into the heated oil, fry prawn heads and shells till crispy.

Pour water and simmer over low heat for about 1/2 hour.

Drain off the heads and shells.

Pour back the stock into the same pot.

Add granules and salt.

Stir and continue to simmer.

For the dipping sauce, fry all the ingredients in oil till it becomes a thick paste.

Remove and keep aside.

To serve

Blanch prawns, bak choy and fungus inside the stock.

Add mee hoon into a bowl and top with blanched ingredients.

Pour stock over and serve with dipping sauce and calamansi lime.

Squeeze calamansi juice on the dipping sauce and enjoy with mee hoon

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