Dear Wagamama,
What happened to Ebi Kare Lomen? One day, just like life as we knew it, it disappeared.
FFS.
In all seriousness, Ebi Kare Lomen was the only reason I ever went to Wagamama: I’d sub the egg noodles with extra everything else because it was all about the heat of the curried sauce, king prawns and the crunch of beansprouts, cucumber and fresh coriander – all topped with a squeeze of lime. There are plenty on social media who feel the same, so I know I’m not alone.
Like me, they have probably ruined a few tops eating this dish. The first was a sky-blue woven linen halter neck number from Whistles that cost me a fortune at the time, being a struggling artist and all that. It was the 90s and Wagamama had just landed in Bloomsbury. Tucked away in a narrow side street between the British Museum and New Oxford Street, the experience was a novelty: in the infancy of dating dh, we waited outside because no booking, until ushered to a basement of shared tables in a brightly lit, bustling canteen.
Dial forward to the Camden branch, where I ruined more tops undoubtably smashed out of my face. Thankfully, this Wagamama was low lit; I’d come away thinking I was finally in control of the lomen, only to find tell-tale crusted curry spots everywhere the next day.
I am probably not selling this, but if you hit here because you miss the dish, then you know it was worth it.
For 2 people, or 3.
Ingredients:
- 21 king prawns, peeled (keeping tails attached) and deveined
- 1 litre chicken stock, reduced to 500ml
- I x 400g can coconut cream
- 1 inch wedge of solid creamed coconut
- 2 x shirataki noodle packs
- 2 bird’s eye Thai chilies, slightly crushed
- 1 tbsp. rapeseed oil
- 2 tsp hot curry powder
- 400g beansprouts
- 2 cucumbers, peeled and julienned, without seeds
- 2 bunches spring onions, halved and then shredded lengthways
- 1 x large bunch coriander, leaves only
- lime wedges
for the kare lomen:
- 5 sticks lemongrass, trimmed, bashed and chopped
- 2 inch galangal root, peeled and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 7 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
- 1 heaped tsp. Thai red curry paste
- 1 tbsp. fish sauce
- 1 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp shrimp paste
Instructions:
- Reduce the chicken stock: I start with 1 litre and reduce by half just to get the extra concentration of flavour and give the liquid more body
- Prep the prawns, keeping the heads in the freezer for future stocks. Once prepped, pop in the fridge till needed
- Drain the shirataki noodles. I use 2 packs: I am not sure of the drained weight but the packs are 375g each. Run the drained noodles under cold water and then leave them to the side
- Next make the kare loman: take all the kare loman ingredients and blend until they form a rough paste: the lemongrass will make it look twiggy, but as you are straining the sauce later that doesn’t matter
- Pop the mix in a non-stick pan and heat for a few minutes over a medium flame to release the fragrance
- Turn the heat down to low and add the chicken stock, giving it a good stir, then add the can of coconut cream and crushed Thai chillies: you want the sauce to fully incorporate but do not let it come to boil too quickly as the coconut cream can split, so low and slow until the sauce reaches a good simmer
- While you are waiting for this to happen, toss the prawns in the curry powder and fry using rapeseed oil in a non-stick pan until just done: turn the heat off and leave them there until you divvy them out
- Strain the broth through a fine sieve to remove all the bits, and then return again to a low heat and add the solid cube of creamed coconut, which will push the sauce to a thicker consistency
- Now add the drained shirataki noodles the sauce and heat through, again avoiding a rapid boil
- Divide the beansprouts, cucumber, coriander and spring onions between bowls, and the prawns
- When piping hot add the kare lomen and noodle. Serve with wedges of lime
FU2020 