Filipino Patola Soup with Misua

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

⅓ pound prawns, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon fish sauce

⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 ¼ (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth

1 patola (luffa squash), peeled and cut crosswise into chunks

1 (8 ounce) package misua (salted wheat) noodles, or to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add prawns; cook and stir until starting to turn color, about 2 minutes. Add fish sauce and pepper; cover and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.

Pour chicken broth into the skillet with prawns. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until flavors begin to combine, about 2 minutes. Add patola; re-cover and cook until mostly softened, about 5 minutes. Add misua noodles; let simmer until tender yet firm to the bite, about 2 minutes.