Miriam Al-Noah’s aguachile is the perfect dish to celebrate the last days of summer
photography by Miriam Al-Noah
as told to lara daly
A fresh and fiery crowd-pleaser.
In a crowded deluge of #FoodTok and recipe content, Melbourne-based cook and food creative Miriam Al-Noah (aka @mealswithmim) stands out. Her work centres on the simple joy of bringing people together – shaped by fresh, seasonal produce and a sensory approach for food styling.
“I’ve loved cooking (and eating) from a very young age,” she says. “While I was studying, I spent lots of time working at cafés and for catering companies, which helped me learn the ropes of hospitality.” Now working full-time in marketing, Miriam has found that carving out time to cook has become a creative outlet; a way to slow down and reconnect.
Looking for more thought-provoking stories? Head on over to our Life section.
What began as post-lockdown dinner parties for friends and family has since evolved into Meals With Mim, her catering side business. She’s created considered spreads for brands and spaces like PDA Shop, Sheet Society and Lenny’s Wine Room, bringing her playful, produce-forward style into retail launches, brand events and intimate gatherings.
We’ve been to enough of them to know the scene: playfully coloured serving platters, contrasting shapes and textures, and bite-sized gildas (Sicilian olives threaded with guindilla peppers and anchovies, finished with a dusting of Aleppo pepper). If you’ve hovered nearby for seconds, chances are Miriam is the one behind the table, or darting over to top up the plates.
View this post on Instagram
“It feels really special to share my food with people beyond my home,” she tells us. “I’m very inspired by travelling to new places and learning about the flavours, cooking techniques and stories of the culture I’m experiencing.”
Like many of us, she’s been firing up the barbecue on repeat this summer, grilling smoked paprika, parsley and citrus prawns, steak with salsa verde, or zucchini tossed with vinegar and mint. But she’s especially fond of seafood dressed simply in citrus, à la aguachile.
“It’s fresh, a bit fiery and a crowd-pleaser on a hot sunny afternoon,” she says. “You briefly cure the prawns in lime juice, then mix them through a bright, punchy blend of chilli, coriander and more lime.”
View this post on Instagram
It’s exactly the kind of dish to celebrate these final golden days of summer: light but layered, effortless yet impressive. Quick to assemble and best eaten immediately, her aguachile is designed for long afternoons, cold drinks and gathering your favourite people around the table one more time before the season turns.
Recipe for aguachile (chilli water)
Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients
3 to 4 limes
1 clove of garlic
Small bunch of coriander
Salt
400 grams raw prawns, deveined
1/2 red onion
1/4 Avocado
1/2 Lebanese cucumber
Method
1. Prepare the prawns by removing the tails and slicing lengthways.
2. Place prawns on a large flat plate. Squeeze lime juice over prawns, then add a generous sprinkle of salt. The prawns will cook in the lime juice, this should take about 20 to 30 minutes, flipping them at the halfway point. They should feel slightly more solid and look pinkish in colour.
3. Thinly slice the red onion and place in a small bowl with lime juice and salt, gently massage and place in the fridge.
4. To prepare the chilli water, blend together the coriander (inclusive of stalks, reserve some coriander for garnishing), lime juice, garlic, a pinch of salt and the chilli. Season to taste.
5. Thinly slice the avocado and cucumber.
6. Once the prawns are ready, mix through with the chilli water.
7. Place the prawns on a flat serving platter and top with slices of avocado, cucumber and the pickled onion. Top with the reserved coriander leaves.
8. Enjoy on its own, or on a tostada!
For more recipe inspiration, follow Miriam here.
Liked this? You’ll love these...
