My parents will never eat Italian food outside - they just won't do it. They will, however, eat pasta dishes that I occasionally cook for them (I firmly attribute this to filial bias). This particular one is an attempt to emulate the type of pasta dishes that the Chelsea Hotel in Chatswood (an old university haunt famous) used to cook up - a bastard combo of puttanesca and prawn linguine.
When I think prawns and noodle-y things, I think of Ma's 沙爹锅 (satay hot pot) - always brought to the table in the wok cos we didn't have any plates big enough to hold it! The use of Jimmy's Sate Sauce is pretty crucial, as is tracking down this specific type of Chinese vegetable for it's mustard-ey aftertaste.
Despite sharing common core ingredients and dynamics (al dente-ness / glutinous-ness of the carb), the techniques differ, as does the cultural context:
- High heat to wok-fry and dry-fry Vs Low heat to infuse the oil with the puttanesca flavours
- Unshelled ("Good flavour! Fun to Eat!") Vs Shelled prawns ("Prawn heads - Ewww")
- Served banquet style with rice Vs Usually served individually, maybe with bread
The honorary father and sister gave ticks of approval to both, but I think Ma's dish has superior flavour and technique - but it's not about winning when it comes to family (right?).
沙爹锅
WHAT YOU NEED
100g thick vermicelli
1 bunch gooong muuun (translated roughly as 'asshole moon' by my dad) book choy
16 raw prawns, shell on
1 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp light soy
1 tsp oil
2 tsp sesame oil
A little salt
1 tbsp Jimmy's sate sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp water
WHAT TO DO
- Soak vermicelli for 15 mins in tap water, wash the veg
- Mix sauces together - it should have the consistency of ketchup and be a balance of salty, sweet and satay-ey.
- Boil stock and add the seasonings and dissolve. Add vermicelli in and cook until translucent and 'al dente'.
- Take it off the boil and stand to allow noodles to absorb the flavours (and ensure that the noodles don’t absorb the flavours of the satay sauce later)
- Dry-fry the prawns over medium heat for 5 minutes in a wok until curled and cooked through. Set aside.
- Wok-fry veg with 1 tsp oil and a scant tsp of salt for a minute. Cover to steam until cooked through. Set aside and clean wok.
- Wok-fry the garlic in 2 tsp oil over medium to high heat to infuse the oil. Add the prawns and stir to coat. Add the sauce mixture and toss quickly to coat the prawns. Add the noodles and veg and mix.
- Serve banquet style or with rice for a quick meal.
Prawny Puttanesca-ry Pasta
WHAT YOU NEED
250g linguine
16 raw prawns, peeled (leave the brains in - insane flavour here. Just peel the shell on the head and snip a centimetre from the top)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4-5 anchovies
2 tbsp capers (no need to rinse - that brine is flavour!)
1 heaped tsp chilli flakes (this will give you the necessary mid-level hum)
400g tiny tomatoes (cherry, baby roma), halved
bag of rocket/spinach
100g ricotta (or parmesan if you ain’t a fan of ricotta)
1 lemon
WHAT TO DO
- Put pasta on - aim for 80% cooked.
- In a wide pan or wok, fry prawns in 2 tbsp oil over medium-high heat until cooked through (about 2 minutes a side). Set aside. If you kept the brains in (and I hope you did) it may be a little messy, so rinse the pan with hot water, scrub clean and dry quickly.
- Saute garlic, anchovies and capers in 3 tbsp oil over low to medium heat until the anchovies break down and the flavours infuse.
(Your pasta should be ready around this time - drain and reserve some of the cooking water)
- Increase to high heat and add the tomatoes. Cook for 2 minutes until they give off some of their juice and start to collapse.
- Add the pasta (if it has clumped in the colander, use some of the cooking water to loosen it up) and toss until well-coated with the sauce.
- Add prawns and veg until veg wilts slightly.
- Serve in the biggest plate/bowl you have in the middle of the table with ricotta crumbled on top and a drizzle of olive oil. Lemon, black pepper, chilli flakes and extra leaves to taste.
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