Bok Choy grows relatively quickly in the scheme of things, just 12 weeks from garden to plate…and one of the main features in this spicy Asian curry soup: Prawn & Tuna Coconut Laksa.
Often made with chicken, it’s time for this pesky pescetarian to dabble in a prawn and tuna version.
Bok Choy (also known as buk choy, pak choy, baak choi) is a Chinese white cabbage. And while it doesn’t resemble a Western cabbage, this Asian green is referred to a white cabbage all the same. Choy in Chinese refers to any leafy vegetable.
Now is the time to plant them people! A few more weeks then the window of opportunity closes.
Cooking with Bok Choy
You can eat the whole vegetable which is a fabulous, meaning no wastage (I like that, a lot). Similar to a leek in some regards it has layers that can gather dirt so will need a good wash before cooking. The thick, white stems are great chopped finely in stir-fries or steamed, but work really well in this dish in larger chunks.
Bok Choy needs hardly any cooking at all and in this recipe it is literally has just enough time to wilt before consuming!
Also featuring in this dish is a very under-rated pantry staple, vermicelli. Made from green beans it is super-light yet helps give substance to an otherwise milky broth. Once cooked the noodles are translucent and taste of nothing particular in isolation but boy do they absorb flavour! Have these little beauties sitting in a pool of spice laksa and the job is done.
Made in minutes, I would highly recommend this recipe! Me, biased? Nooooo, surely not!
Prawn & Tuna Coconut Laksa
Serves: 2 generous bowls
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 x jar laksa paste
- 25 prawns, raw
- 1 x 400ml can of coconut milk
- 2 cups vegetable stock
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 50g vermicelli, dry bundle
- 1 large bok choy (or two small)
- 100g of chunky tuna (tinned, or cubes of seared fresh tuna)
For garnish
- 2 spring onion, sliced
- 1/2 red capsicum, finely sliced
- sprig of fresh coriander
Method
- In a large saucepan heat olive oil and laksa paste for a few minutes until it simmers away and wafts of gorgeous fragrance dance around your kitchen.
- Add raw prawns, coat them generously in the paste, and chase them around the saucepan with a wooden spoon until they turn pink and cooked. Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock, water and brown sugar, and simmer on a low-medium heat for a few minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the vermicelli by soaking the dry noodles in boiling water in a bowl until soft (3-4 minutes should do the trick). Drain off the water and place generous dollops of noodle into the centre of each serving bowl. Top with bok choy (cut into thin quarters length-ways), position chunks of tuna strategically around the bowl, then spoon the coconut laksa over the top – complete with prawns.
- Garnish with spring onion, capsicum and fresh coriander. Serve immediately.
The recipe can serve 4, but may I be so bold to suggest you’ll come back for seconds — so let’s just say ‘serves 2’ and you won’t be disappointed.
