Main Ingredients:

See below ingredients and instructions of the recipe

Cooking Preparation of the Recipe:

PRAWN STOCK AND SEAFOOD
1 lb Raw prawns
1 lb Fish fillets
1/4 ts Pepper
1 ts Salt
4 oz Crab meat OR
2 crabs; cooked and cut into
-pieces
5 tb Oil
8 c ;water
2 ts Salt
1 lb Rice vermicelli*
1 lb Fresh bean sprouts
1 lg Cucumber;peeled and coarsely
-grated
8 Spring onions (scallions)
1/2 c Fresh mint leaves; firmly
-packed
SOUP
2 md Onions; quartered; finely
-sliced
2 cl Garlic; finely chopped
2 ts Grated lemon rind; finely
-chopped
2 ts Laos powder**
8 Candlenuts; finely grated***
6 Dried chillies; seeds
-removed
2 ts Dried shrimp paste (blacan)
2 ts Ground turmeric
4 ts Ground coriander
Prawn stock with seafood
-see above
8 c Coconut milk
2 ts Sugar
2 1/2 ts Salt; or to taste

* This is also known as rice sticks and is available in Chinese
groceries. ** A very delicate spice sold in powder form. Also known
as kha in Thai cooking. Available in Asian groceries. ***A hard nut
with lots of oil used to flavor curries. Also known as kemiri
(Indonesian) or buah keras (Malay). Available in Asian groceries.

Shell and devein prawns, reserving shells and heads. Drain these
thoroughly. Remove any bones and skin from fish fillets and using a
chopper, chop very finely. Mix in the salt and pepper and shape into
small balls, or into a sausage-shaped roll and divide into
finger-width slices. Pick over crab meat and discard any bony tissue,
or chop the whole crabs into pieces after removing top shell and
fibrous tissue.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a saucepan and when very hot throw in the
prawn heads and shells and fry until they turn bright red. Add 8 cups
water and 2 teaspoons salt, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes, then
strain. Discard shells and heads. Return the stock to the fire, drop
in the fish balls or slices and the prawns, cut into pieces if large.
Return to the boil, then lower heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Set
aside and keep warm.

Scald the rice vermicelli by pouring boiling water over it, then
allow it to drain in a colander. Or soak it in warm water for 5-10
minutes, drain well. Scald the bean sprouts by pouring boiling water
over. Rinse in cold water, washing off any loose skins. Pinch off
straggly brown "tails." Slice spring onions finely, roughly chop mint
leaves. Set aside each ingredient separately] until serving time.

TO MAKE THE SOUP: Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil and fry the
onions, garlic, and lemon rind until onions are golden. Stir in the
laos powder, candlenuts, chillies, blacan, turmeric and coriander.
Add the prawn stock and when the soup comes to the boil add the
coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for
10-15 minutes, stirring to prevent coconut milk curdling.

In each bowl, arrange a ladle of the vermicelli, enough to two-thirds
fill the bowl. Add a handful of bean sprouts, a tablespoon each of
cucumber, and sliced spring onions. Add also a large pinch of mint.
Pour the boiling soup over and serve immediately. A hot sambal can
be served along with this for individuals to add to their portion if
desired. Serves 8-10. Source: The Complete Asian Cookbook.

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