Simple Eats: Misua

The packet says vermicelli which I doubt, but then it has in brackets, 'misua' which I guess must be what it is acceptably called. It is my niece interjects, wifi connected iPod in hand. It's a 'very thin variety of salted Chinese noodles made from wheat flour and originating from Fuijian, China. An afterthought dish, the misua. An ingredient that is called to service whenever only when we had excess gourds from the garden, because who seriously eats and enjoys gourds? (like the hefty upo). And that's how we've always had them, as a semi-thickening agent to sliced gourds sauteed with the usual pang-gisa suspects, the stiff, spiky noodles softening to form delicate white lattice-work that you slurped.

Again, there was another debate on whether courgettes were gourds (they're technically squash), but it doesn't matter. All I know is that I'm not really fond of them; but with misua, they're just fine.

Courgettes With Misua and Shrimp (Serves 8)
300 grams shrimp, peeled
3 medium sized courgettes peeled and sliced into rounds
Pang-Gisa (diced garlic, onion and 1 large tomato de-seeded)
Misua
Onion leaves for garnish
* Peel the shrimp, taking off the heads. Pour boiling water over them and mash to get the flavour out. Strain and use as broth later. Saute the Pang-Gisa and add the shrimp and courgette rounds. Pour broth and season with salt, pepper and fish-sauce. Simmer til courgettes become tender. Sprinkle misua. Cover and simmer for 5 more minutes. Sprinkle chopped onion leaves before serving.