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King Prawns cooked in a delicious Thai red curry sauce.
This is a quick and easy recipe to make a delicious Thai prawn curry, although you can substitute the prawns for chicken, pork, white fish or tofu if you are a vegetarian. Serve with boiled fragrant jasmine rice.
The authentic flavours come form a wonderful homemade curry paste, like all good Thai curries. There are quite a few ingredients in the paste, however they are perfectly balance and can be used in many other dishes. All the ingredients I use are easily obtained in Scotland from your local Asian supermarket, and increasingly your regular supermarket.
For this recipe you only need half the paste, the other half can be stored in fridge for up to five days, or frozen for next time. You can also use the paste to marinade chicken before roasting, or as I did marinade tiger prawns then roast them in the curry paste – just amazing!
Serves Two people
Preparation 10 minutes, cooking time 10-12 minutes
4 large red chillies – remove stalk and seeds
6 bird eye chillies – remove stalk and seeds
3 red onions – peel, roughly dice
Thumb sized piece root ginger – peel, roughly chop
2 sticks lemongrass – bruise, remove outer husk and thinly slice
1 medium sized garlic bulb – peel each clove
2 tbsp. cashew nuts
Juice of 2 limes
2 lime leafs
2 tbps ketchup manis
2 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 tbsp. dark soy sauce
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. coriander stalks
3 tbsp. desiccated coconut
3 tbsp. brown sugar
3 cardamom pods
3 cloves
Method: Use a mini blender or food processor to blitz all the ingredients into a smooth paste. Cutting the harder and more fibrous ingredients such as the ginger and lemongrass helps for a smoother paste. You can also do this the authentic Thai way by using a mortar and pestle – unfortunately due to my disabilities I can no longer do this.
You only need half the paste for this recipe, to store the other half either freeze it (does not effect the flavour like some claim) or store it in a refrigerated airtight container for up to 5 days.
Half the curry paste
150-200ml coconut milk
50ml water
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
225g Raw king prawns – Shells removed, devein
1 large red chilli – remove stalk, thinly slice
6-8 large Mint leaves – bruise, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. roughly chopped coriander leaf
Method: Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a wide deep frying pan or wok over a high heat. Add the curry paste, reduce heat to medium and stir fry for 6-8 minutes until the paste is very aromatic. If it begins to catch add a little of the water to loosen the sauce.
Add the water and 150ml coconut milk to the sauce along with the mint leaves, increase the heat until the sauce begins to boil then reduce to a simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste test the sauce, add a little extra coconut milk if you wish but keep some to drizzle over the dish. Add the prawns and poach them in the sauce for 1-2 minutes, until they change from grey to pink and sauce starts to bubble again.
To complete the dish sprinkle the chopped coriander and sliced chillies on top, and drizzle a swirl of coconut milk on top (1-2 tbsp.). Serve straight away with some fragrant boiled jasmine rice.
Please browse my other recipes
Laksa broth with noodles, tofu, tiger prawns, boiled egg and coriander garnish.
Laksa is my among my favourite dishes, its like a cuddle in a bowl. I have had this dish many times across South East Asia, and I can confidently say my recipe stands up to the very best. There are many different types of Laksa rather than it being a single dish, with many different styles from regional cuisines. My version is based on the classic curry Mee Laksa soup from Penang region of Malaysia.
The flavour of this dish comes from a wonderful curry paste which contains 24 ingredients in perfect harmony. It is fried to release all its flavours then coconut milk, fish stock, soy sauce and fish sauce are added. The dish is assembled in a bowl with cooked noodles on the bottom, broth ladled over the top then pieces of cooked tofu are added along with sliced spring onions, cooked tiger prawns, a boiled egg and a coriander garnish.
This might sound complicated, but its not. Its actually quite easy to make with results guaranteed to impress any foodie friends.
Please also view my recipe Mussels in Laksa Broth which is an excellent way to use the other half of the Laksa paste.
Notes: This recipe only uses half the paste, the other half can be frozen or stored in an airtight refrigerated container for up to 7 days. For the Tofu use pre fried pieces of silken tofu, either buy pre fried (available from Chinese supermarkets) or cut silken tofu into squares and fry in hot oil until golden brown. These can be portioned and kept in freezer for next time. For noodles I have used egg noodles but traditionally a mixture of rice and egg noodles is used, this is purely a personal preference. In terms of seafood I have used Tiger prawns but white fish, scallops and other shellfish can be added.
This recipe is for two people
Preparation time 25 minutes, cooking time 15 minutes
For the curry paste:
2 red bird eye chillies – stalk and seeds removed
2 large red chillies – stalk and seeds removed
1 large green chilli – stalk and seeds removed
2 heaped tsp ground coriander
1 heaped tsp smoked paprika
1 heaped tsp ground cumin
1 heaped tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp medium hot chilli powder
2 medium sized brown onions – peeled
2 sticks lemon grass – bruise, inner part only, thinly sliced (for smoother paste)
Thumb sized piece root ginger – peel, finely chopped (for smoother paste)
Generous handful of peanuts
6 cloves garlic – peel
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp shrimp paste
2 tsp tamarind paste
3 heaped dessert spoons brown sugar
2 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. dark soy sauce
2 tbsp. hopped coriander stalks
Juice and zest of 1 lime
3 karrif lime leafs
4 cardamom pods
3 black peppercorns
Method: Add all the ingredients to a mini blender (or mortar and pestle) and blitz until a smooth paste is formed. Slicing the lemon grass and ginger before helps make a smoother paste. Use Half the paste for two portions, the remainder can be frozen (it keeps its flavours well) or stored in a refrigerated airtight container for up to 7 days. Please view my Mussels in Laksa Broth which is an excellent way to use the other half of the paste.
4-6 large tiger prawns – devein but keep in shell and head on,
Generous handful of pre fried tofu pieces – see notes in opening section
2 hard boiled eggs – add eggs to boiling water for 8-10 minutes, shell and half
2 portions of cooked egg noodles – see notes in opening section
4 spring onions – sliced on diagonal into 2-3cm lengths
Generous handful of coriander leaf – roughly chop
1 tbsp. dark sauce
1 tbsp. fish sauce
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil
500ml fish stock – can use chicken as alternative
500ml coconut milk – do not use half fat, doesn’t work 😦
1 lime cut into wedges – to serve
Brown sugar – only use if required to balance flavour
Method: Start by heating 1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok then add the paste. Stir fry for 6-8 minutes until the oil starts to separate from the paste. Add the coconut milk and fish stock and heat until it starts to boil then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Add a tbsp. of fish sauce and dark soy sauce then taste test, if it requires more seasoning add a little extra, if it is too strong add a little sugar to balance it.
Heat 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil in a separate frying pan over a high heat. Once oil is smoking hot add the prawns and cook for approx. 90 seconds on each side, just until the prawns turn pink, then remove from heat and drain on absorbent paper. The hot stock will finish the prawns off, so make sure you do not over cook them.
Bring the laksa broth back to the boil then turn off heat and serve. Place the cooked noodles on the bottom of the bowl, then ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Add pieces of pre cooked tofu, sliced spring onions, boiled egg halves, the cooked tiger prawns and a little chopped coriander to finish. Enjoy.
Mexican classic beef with chilli, red pepper rice and a wonderful fresh salsa. Comfort food at its very best.
Serves two people
Preparation time 30 minutes, cooking time 1 hour
This recipe uses gaujillo chillies and chipolte paste to give the chilli sauce that authentic flavour. Firstly gaujillo chillies, garlic and tomato are dry fried, before being blended with cumin seeds and chipolte paste. Beef mince is browned with some white onion in a little oil, then the paste is added along with all spice berries, bay leaf, oregano, some water and seasoning. The dish is slowly simmered for around an hour to reduce the sauce and bring out the rich deep flavours.
Red pepper rice works so well with this dish, or indeed as a side to any mexican dish. Onion, garlic and half a red bell pepper are fried in a little oil then washed long grain rice is added along with chilli powder and tomato paste. The rice is fried in the oil and stirred until each grain is coated. Chicken stock is then added along with seasoning before the rice is covered and reduced to simmer. After the stock is absorbed the rice is fluffed up with a fork before serving.
The salsa is a straightforward mix of corn, tomatoes, spring onion, red onion, avocado, red chilli, coriander, seasoning, a little sugar and lime juice. Best done 1-2 hours in advance, mixed well and set aside to let the flavours come together. A winner with any mexican dish or as a dip for tortilla chips.
As an extra accompaniment I served this dish with corn tortillas and sour cream.
2 gaujillo chillies – soak in water for 30 minutes
3 garlic cloves (unpeeled)
3 round tomatoes
tsp cumin seeds
1 and half tsp chipolte paste
220 -300g good quality minced beef
1 white onion – diced
2 all spice berries
1 bay leaf
tsp oregano
1 tbsp oil
200ml water
Salt and pepper to taste
Method: Dry fry the garlic, guajillo chillies and tomatoes over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes, turning frequently until charred. Remove from heat and set aside until cooled. Peel the garlic then add to a mini blender along with the unpeeled tomatoes, gaujillo chillies, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1.5 tsps chipolte paste and blend well until smooth. In a separate pan and the oil and heat over a medium heat, once hot brown the mince along with the onion. Next add the paste from the blender, approx 200ml water, 2 all spice berries, a bay leaf and a tsp oregano. Stir well bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer for approximately 1 hour. Stir occasionally and add a little more water if the chilli becomes too dry.
150g long grain rice – rinse before use
1 white onion – diced
2 cloves garlic – peel, crush, finely chop
Half a red bell pepper – diced
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp chilli powder – use extra for extra heat
400ml chicken stock
1 tbsp oil
Method: Heat the oil over a medium heat in a saucepan then fry the onions, garlic and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice along with 2 tsp tomato paste and 1 tsp chilli powder, stir well and fry the mixture for 30 seconds. Pour in the chicken stock along with a little seasoning, stir once and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid and reduce to a simmer for 10-12 minutes or until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat, remove lid and fluff rice with a fork.
4 Tbsp sweetcorn
2 round tomatoes – finely chopped
1 red onion – diced
1 avocado – diced
Handful coriander leaf – chopped
2 spring onions – thinly sliced
2 red bird eye chillies – thinly sliced
salt and pepper – to taste
Half teaspoon of brown sugar
Juice of 1 lime
Method – This is really as simple as mixing all the ingredients in a large bowl, cover and setting aside in fridge. In My opinion it is best done 2-3 hours in advance and brought to room temperature 30 mins before serving.
A fragrant, spicy broth with egg noodles and chicken. Garnished with coriander, sliced chillies, cucumber, boiled egg and beansprouts.
This recipe is inspired by the wonderful fragrant noodle soups enjoyed across South East Asia.
The broth is made from chicken stock flavoured with a fresh homemade curry paste. This is simmered for around 45mins to an hour to bring out all the flavours in the paste. Cooked chicken is laid on top of cooked egg noodles in a deep soup bowl. The broth is ladled on top then the bowl is completed with the garnishes.
I don’t really think the pictures do this recipe any justice. I will be making this one again for certain!
This recipe can easily be adapted for seafood such as prawns, mussels and white fish. For a vegetarian option use tofu, substitute salt for seasoning and use vegetable stock.
4 red bird eye chillies (remove seeds for less spicy)
1 red bell pepper
1 whole medium garlic bulb
2 sticks lemon grass (bruise and use inner part only- thinly slice)
3 small red onions
Thumb sized piece root ginger (peeled and chopped)
Teaspoon of tamarind pulp (or pure if unavailable)
Teaspoon of shrimp paste
Tablespoon of fish sauce
2 Tablespoons of brown sugar (palm if available, demerara if not)
2 lime leafs (thinly sliced)
Teaspoon ground turmeric
Teaspoon ground cumin
Teaspoon ground coriander
4-5 coriander stalks
Put all the ingredients in a mini chopper or mortar and pestle and form a smooth paste. Chopping the ginger and lemongrass before hand makes this job easier.
1.5 litres of chicken stock
1 hard boiled egg (remove shell and slice in half)
2 portions of medium egg noodles (cook as per packet instructions)
2 small handfuls beansprouts
6 slices of cucumber (slice on diagonal)
200-250g Cooked chicken slices (bring to room temperature before adding to dish)
Tablespoon of chopped coriander leaf
1 large red chilli thinly sliced
Ferret chef 