Chef Wan's Malaysian prawn and noodle salad

Ingredients

3 drops	Vegetable oil
125 g	Rice noodles, dried (Main)
300 g	Prawns, fresh (Main)
1	Onion, thnly sliced
1 handful	Fresh herbs, mint, coriander and chives, torn
3 Tbsp	Fish sauce
2	Limes, juice only

Sauce

1	Red chilli, thinly sliced (Main)
2	Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
½ tin	Thai prawn paste (Main)
3	Small ripe tomatoes, deseeded and sliced
4 Tbsp	Palm sugar

Directions

1. Drop 125g of dried rice noodles into a pan of boiling water, remove from the heat and leave to soak for ½ a minute, or until just tender.
2. Drain and refresh under cold water. Toss with a few drops of vegetable oil to stop the strands sticking together, then leave in a colander to drain really well.
3. Grill 300g large fresh prawns in a pan or on the barbecue.
4. Thinly slice a medium onion. Tear a large handful of fresh mint, coriander and chives.
5. Roast 100g of peanuts and chop finely.
6. Juice 2 limes and add 3 tbsp of Thai fish sauce. Put the noodles in your bowls or a platter.
7. Mix the above ingredients gently with the noodles, and top with the prawns. Make the sauce, pour over the salad and serve immediately.
8. For the sauce:Put everything into a food processor or blender and grind, using the pulse button, into a coarse, wet paste, almost soupy in texture.
9. 2.If barbecuing, you could have the salad base and sauce ready and chilled in the fridge.
10. Grill the prawns and serve straight from the barbecue, sizzling into the chilled base - inspired.