Sichuan Noodle Soup

Sichuan Noodle Soup! Yep. Obviously. The dish for the day on this particular day. Why and how and where did the recipe originate from (Sichuan Chilli Prawns)? Honestly, to tell you the truth, I did some search and popped up a couple of recipes. The popularity had to the beef version and maybe two or three to chicken as one of the main ingredients. But, like I have already told you before, beef is definitely a taboo for Indians like us and chicken is the other my other half-half won't put his mouth to. Henceforth, I made the prawn variant (Devilled Prawns, Tamarind Prawn Curry & Bitter Gourd Prawn Curry). Of course its also the usual story to using prawn heads and shells for the broth and as for the rest of ingredients (Malaysian Spicy Sour Fish Noodle Soup, Mee Rebus, Penang Assam Laksa, Bee Hoon Soup & Thai Fish Noodle Soup), whichever and whatever you feel will be in tandem for Sichuan Noodle Soup. However, crucially, for any Sichuan Noodle Soup for the matter, or most probably, the broth must be spicy  (Penang Hokkien Mee)? Of course if you are asking me. Chilli paste made and tipped into the soup. Thereafter, all you got to is assemble. Yellow noodles, fish ball, prawns, lettuce leaves and broth ladled over and coriander leaves and spring onion garnished ( Malaysian Fried Mee). Tempting right?  

Ingredients

For the stock

3 cups of prawn shells/heads

2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste

For the chili paste - blended or grounded

4 red chillies
3 shallots

1/2 inch ginger
**blend/ground/pulse these ingredients
1 tbsp vinegar
A tiny bit of sugar

2 tbsp oil

Other ingredients

Yellow noodles (as needed) - blanch to soften

8-10 medium size prawns - remove shells/skin

4-5 fish balls - slice into 2 pieces

Lettuce leaves (as needed) - slice into medium size pieces (or other green veg)

Coriander leaves and spring onion (as needed) - slice thinly
Lime wedges (as needed)

Method

For stock

Heat oil and when heated, add prawn shells and heads.  

Fry until crispy over low heat for about 10 mins or so.

Pour 1 liter of water and simmer for about an hour to extract broth. 

Drain and pour back broth in the same pot.
Season with salt. 

For chilli paste

Heat oil and when heated, fry paste till oil starts to split.
Season with vinegar and sugar.  

Tip into broth and stir.

To Serve

Add noodles in a bowl. 

Blanch prawns, fish balls and lettuce leaves in the broth and  atop noodles. 

Pour broth.  

Garnish with coriander leaves, spring onion and serve with lime wedge.