Sweet and sour prawn noodles

Forget the local takeaway, this tasty dish is worth every effort for a weekend treat.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

200g fine egg noodles

3 spring onions, sliced into long strips, whites and greens separated

Good handful of bean sprouts

A few splashes of sesame oil

700mls of oil, for frying

60mls soda water, chilled

100g self raising flour

120g cornflour, plus 1tbsp for the cornflour mix

Pinch of salt

Prawns, shelled, tails attached

1 tin pineapple chunks, in juice 

100g light brown sugar

200 ml rice vinegar

1 thumb of ginger, grated

3 tbsp tomato sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp water

METHOD

• Start by making the sauce. Mix 1 tbsp of cornflour with 2 tbsp water in a small bowl and set aside.

• Drain half of the juice from the tinned pineapple, and add to a hot pan with the sugar, vinegar, ginger, tomato sauce and soy sauce. Bring to the boil and cook for 5 minutes. Once cooked, whisk in the cornflour mix.

• Pour the oil into the wok and heat gently, or use a deep fat fryer if you have one.

• Combine 100g of self raising flour with 100g of cornflour and a pinch of salt. Mix with the soda water to make a smooth paste.

• Once the oil is hot, dust the prawns with the remaining corn flour and dip into the batter.

• One at a time, use tongs to drop the prawns into the oil, frying about 5 - 6 in each batch. Turn up the heat if necessary to keep the oil hot. Cook for a few minutes, or until the prawns start to float to the top of the oil. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with all remaining prawns.

• To assemble, cook the noodles as per packet instructions and add to a hot frying pan with the sesame oil and the whites of the spring onions. Cook for a couple of minutes before adding the greens of the spring onions, the beansprouts and a splash of soy sauce. Toss everything together well.

• Place on a large serving dish, drop the prawns on top and pour over some of the sauce.