This is one of my favourite noodle dishes and it's courtesy of my good friend, Pierre. I saw her post this noodle dish on her instagram couple years ago, all bedazzled with green shavings of lime zest, ringlets of bright red chili padi, and sprigs of coriander. I asked, she delivered. So here's the recipe for you guys. The base of this pasta is a delicious prawn oil, which coats every single strand of noodle. The seasoning sauce here is inspired by Thai Tom Yum Street Noodles, delivering on the cuisine's signature salty-tart-sweet-spicy flavours. Follow Pierre's measurements. It truly delivers on all (punchy) notes! (Just Like Pierre)

Ingredients

• 240g spaghetti

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 8 garlic cloves minced

• 4 bird’s eye chillies 2 deseeded & all scissored into thin rings.

• 12 prawns poached 2.5mins

• 2 large Thai limes, 1 zested and juiced, 1 cut into quarters

• Sprigs of coriander to garnish

• Seasoning Sauce

• 3 tbsp fish sauce

• 3 tsp fine white sugar

• 3 tsp white vinegar

Directions

• Combine fish sauce, sugar and vinegar and set aside.

• Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Cool pasta under running tap water in a colander to stop cooking. Set aside.

• Reserve prawn heads. You may want to trim the feelers! Gather the bodies and poach prawns for 2.5mins. Rapidly cool prawns in an ice bath or running tap water to terminate cooking. Set aside.

• Heat extra virgin olive oil in a pan till shimmering. Fry prawn heads at low to medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Discard heads. Prawn oil should be a beautiful reddish hue. It may be a little foamy. All’s good.

• On medium-high heat, fry garlic in prawn oil till golden. About 10 seconds. Add chilli.

• Add spaghetti to the pan and move fast to coat with prawn oil.

• Add prawns. Toss and combine. Add seasoning, then lime juice. Pasta should appear nice and shiny without excess moisture.

• Garnish with coriander. Add lime zest with a microplane or zester. (Extra chilli and fresh garlic as desired.)

• Serve with lime quarters.

Recipe Video

Notes

• You could also sear the prawns separately, then top them on the pasta. Pierre says he prefers them poached.