ingredients

3T rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar) 750ml chicken or vegetable stock 500ml water 300g peeled prawns ½T fish sauce 1T soy sauce 1T demerara sugar fresh lime juice to taste 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely sliced 1 red chilli, finely chopped, 3 spring onions, chopped 250g vermicelli large handful fresh coriander

method

Place the vinegar, stock and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the prawns, simmering until just cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the fish and soy sauces, demerara sugar and lime juice to the cooking liquid, adjusting the seasoning according to your taste – add soy sauce for a saltier broth or lime juice for a more sour flavour. Add the ginger and chilli, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. Add the spring onions and vermicelli about five minutes before serving. Return the prawns to the soup and garnish with fresh coriander. SERVES 4 Originally published in HL May 2014