Want a bowl of piping hot noodle swimming in a sweet prawny broth that is packed with loads of aromatic spices? Penang white Curry Noodle it is!
This recipe is tested and verified by my husband who is born and grew up in Penang that it tasted Authentically Penang! The only taste this recipe lack of is the Pig’s blood and Cockles which the former is not possible to get it in Singapore and I had a hard time finding cockles in local supermarket too. *sad*
Unlike the traditional thick curry, Penang White Curry Noodle is more soupy yet as flavorful. This will get you asking for more without having the ‘Gelat’ /over greasy feel.
Penang Curry Noodle have 2 important components – Sweet and umami coconut prawn broth and homemade aromatic curry paste. Both made with simple ingredients. Coconut water, Coconut milk, chicken stock, prawn shells and heads for the broth. Spices, dried shrimps, garlic and shallot for the curry paste.
This bowl of comforting noodles can be made suitable for kids too. Without adding the curry paste, the soup broth itself is already very flavorful. For spicy lovers, just scoop a big spoonful of curry paste, top on the bowl of soup noodles and serve the Penang way.
The preparation of this dish is not tedious. You do not need to brew the stock for many hours to get the umami-rich broth. You can start the preparation just an hour half before dinner or you can even prepare the broth and curry paste in advance. *only add the coconut milk when you are ready to serve the broth. Over boiling will release oil from the coconut milk.
To prepare the broth, saute the prawn heads and shells until fragrance and add all the ingredients for the broth into a pot and allow it to boil for 5 mins under medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for an hour.
Remove the prawn shells, heads, and lemongrass after an hour of simmering. Add in the bean puff (Taupok) and let it boil for few minutes before serving.
Preparing the curry paste is also very easy. Throw all the ingredients for the curry paste into the blender and blend until smooth.
Stir Fry the curry paste in medium heat for about 10 minutes or until fragrance. Extras can be store in the fridge and just add to any soup for a spicy curry kick. This Hae Bee Hiam alike paste (with a extra frangrany kick) can also be eaten on its own with rice or serve as a dipping chilli paste.
Before dinner, prepare the remaining ingredients – cook the noodles, prawns and beansprout.
Set aside and when the dinner is ready to be serve, lightly blanch the ingredients in boiling water for about 5 secs when assembling each bowl. Pour over the broth with bean puff and serve with a generous spoonful of curry paste. Garnish with a few leaves of mint
Feel free to use any kind of noodles you like. Personally I love bee hoon and my husband loves instant noodles. You can get those without seasoning sachet ones from any supermarket.
- 1 litre water
- 1 litre Chicken Stock
- 800ml Coconut Water (from fresh coconut or carton coconut water; this recipe used UFC coconut water)
- 30g Rock Sugar
- 4 teaspoon Salt
- 2 Stalk lemongrass (lower white part only, roughly sliced)
- 200g prawn shells and head
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 120g Bean Puff (Taupok)
- 100ml coconut milk
- 20g Dried Chili
- 2 Red Chili Padi
- 100g Shallots (about 12 pieces)
- 6 Cloves Garlic (skin removed)
- 15g Dried Shrimps (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon Coriander seed powder
- ¼ teaspoon White Pepper powder
- 5g Belachan Powder (about ½ tablespoon)
- 4 Stalk lemongrass (lower white part only, roughly sliced)
- 160 ml Oil
- 150g Beansprouts (scalded)
- 300g de-shelled prawns (scalded)
- 4 portions of any noodles (about 400g - depends on individual appetite) - Scalded
- 100g cockles (Optional)
- Mint leaves (Optional)
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over medium high heat
- Add in the prawn shells and heads and stir fry for 5 to 10 minutes or until fragrance
- Prepare a large stock pot, add in all the ingredients (except the bean puff) for the broth and bring it to boil
- Let it boil for 5 minutes under medium high heat and reduce the heat to low
- Cover with lid and let the broth simmer for an hour.
- Remove the lemongrass, shells and head.
- Add in bean puff (Tau pok) and bring the stock to boil under medium heat
- *IF dinner is not ready to be served, turn off the heat.
- **Only add in the coconut milk when you are ready to use the broth. If not overboiling will release oil from the coconut milk
- Add coconut milk, stir well and bring it to boil. Immediately reduce to low heat and let it simmer while you scoop the broth into the assembled bowl of noodles.
- Add all the ingredients for the curry paste into a blender and blend until smooth
- Heat a frying pan over medium heat
- Add it the blended paste and stir fry for about 10 minutes, or until fragrance and it turns darker in colour
- Lightly blanch the noodles, prawns and beansprout in a pot of boiling water for about 5 secs.
- Transfer to individual serving bowls and ladle broth over the bowl of noodles
- Serve hot with a generous scoop of the curry paste.
Hi,
May I know what is the brown colour powder ingredient on the right side of tofu puff?
Hi Hi,
Oh that is Belachan powder. Block kind is more common in sg. you can use those as well.