This is a fusion of classic Japanese and Chinese flavours, uses the winning formula of shell-on prawns, sesame, Japanese seaweed and bonito flakes to create a beautifully flavoured broth, peppered with mushrooms and vegetables and prawns. It's served with toast instead of noodles. It's a pescatarian equivalent of a chicken soup, extracting maximum flavour from the raw ingredients to give a nutritious, comforting flavour hug. The mini prawn toasts are a joy. The recipe makes around 450ml stock. It can be frozen prior to the vegetables and prawns are added. For a full on South East Asian noodle soup check out our Tantan Soup (with mad eggs)

Broth:

10 large raw shell-on prawns peeled, and heads removed – keep all elements – 2 prawns are used for the sesame toasts

500 ml vegetable stock or nage (or fish stock)

250 ml water

8 x 15 cm piece dried kombu seaweed

2 tbsp bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

1-2 tbsp white miso (according to taste)

3 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds

3 teasp light oil e.g. sunflower oil

2 teasp sesame oil

Soy sauce to taste

Sesame Prawn toast:

2 of the shelled prawns (see above), very finely chopped

1 cm fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 teasp soy sauce

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2 spring onion whites, finely chopped

2 slices good quality bread, crust off and cut into 8 x 7cm triangles (or whatever shape works for you)

2-3 tbsp toasted white and black sesame seeds

1 tbsp light oil for frying

Suggested broth vegetables:

50g podded edamame beans

75g sugar snaps

75g shimeji or small mushrooms

To serve:

Chopped spring onions

Soy sauce

• Put the peeled prawns in the fridge. To prepare the prawn toasts mix the prawns, ginger, soy, cayenne, spring onions together. Keep in fridge until ready.

• To make the stock, put the prawn heads and shells in a large-lidded saucepan, along with the vegetable stock, water, kombu and bonito flakes. Bring to a fast boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes, with the lid half covering it, so that the stock reduces by about 20%. Turn the heat off, put the lid on and leave for 10 minutes. Remove the kombu, put the pan back on the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Sieve the broth over a bowl, discarding the shells. You should have about 500ml liquid. Return to the saucepan

• Put the miso, sesame seeds, oils and 4 tablespoons of the broth into a high-powered blender and whizz to create a really smooth paste and add to the broth mix. Simmer for 5 minutes, with lid half on and check seasoning. Set aside

• Meanwhile, smear the bread triangles with prawn toast mix. Sprinkle with the two colours of sesame seeds as you fancy. Heat a frying pan adding the toasts prawn side up and fry over a medium to high heat for 1-2 minutes until the bread is crispy and golden. Turn the heat down a little, flip the toasts over until you can smell the sesame seeds, prawns and onions releasing their flavours – 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and put on plates

• For the stock: add your chosen vegetables along with the 8 shelled prawns and cook until the prawns are pink and the vegetables al dente – 2-3 minutes. Take off heat and serve in two large bowls with the soy sauce and spring onions, and the toasts.