Nori Sesame Prawn Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 pack nori seaweed snacks (small sheets, about 5g)
• 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
• 250 g prawns (peeled and deveined)
• 1 tbsp crispy chili oil (plus extra for drizzling)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (divided (some for sauce, some for pasta water))
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 garlic (clove, minced)
• 0.5 tsp sugar
• 1 egg yolk (large)
• 200 g pasta (such as spaghetti or linguine)
• parmesan cheese (grated, for topping)
• fresh chives (finely chopped, for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the nori seaweed snack sheets and toasted sesame seeds into a blender or food processor. Blitz until you have a dark, crumbly mixture.

2. 2

   Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a spoonful of crispy chili oil and the prawns. Sauté until the prawns are pink and toasted, then remove from heat and set aside.

3. 3

   In a small bowl, combine the nori-sesame crumb with soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, sugar, and an egg yolk. Mix until it forms a creamy sauce base.

4. 4

   Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a splash of soy sauce to the water to season the noodles.

5. 5

   Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

6. 6

   Toss the hot, drained pasta directly into the nori sauce mixture, using a little pasta water if needed to loosen the consistency.

7. 7

   Top the pasta with the cooked spicy prawns and a drizzle of the leftover chili oil from the pan.

8. 8

   Finish the dish with a grating of cheese and a sprinkle of fresh chives before serving.

Notes

Adding soy sauce to the pasta water is a unique trick to season the noodles from the inside out. The egg yolk provides the creaminess for the sauce without needing heavy cream.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• pasta
• seafood
• fusion
• quick dinner
• nori
• prawns
• sesame