Thai Style King Prawn Curry

Pan-Asian food is basically my kryptonite. At some point I plan on travelling through various countries in Asia and just eating & sleeping my way through the duration of the trip.

The flavour combinations are just incredible; from the rich spices of an Indian curry, to the juxtaposition of sweet & sour in Thai food – you really can’t go wrong.

I’m not sure where the love began but I fully embrace it and enjoy eating out at amazing restaurant who really pack those flavours into dishes in an authentic way. My go-to is usually a curry, especially one that is coconut based and when I can’t go out to eat somewhere, I’ll try to recreate that experience for myself at home.

There’s some dishes that I’m yet to nail and believe should be kept pure, like a Penang curry or a Peshwari Naan, but some other things can be at the mercy of my creative license – haha! Which brings me to my Thai (Style) King Prawn Curry. It’s my take on a dish I love, well a range of dishes – basically any coconut based curry!

A few important things to note are;

• I use coconut cream. Not ‘creamed coconut’ – that rock hard stuff. And also not coconut milk, although you can substitute if need be. But I really wanted something rich and creamy so the actual cream (thick & creamy substance usually in a carton) is what I went for.
• Huge prawns are key! I hate looking for prawns in a prawn dish. Like really, why must we get those tiny prawns that disappear? The bag of prawns I buy are cleaned and frozen. A tad pricey at £15 a bag (approx 20 pieces) but I love the quality! But fresh prawns are a must – they can be frozen but never pre-cooked.
• Don’t overcook your prawns! You want to add them at a point when they don’t need to sit in whatever you’re making & overcook. Make sure you keep an eye on them and turn the heat off before they reduce to nothing, or become tough & chewy – which is what happens to seafood when you overcook it. Prawns really don’t need a long time to cook. To make sure they maintain their appearance/size, you need to cook them for the least amount of time possible. As long as they change colour from the grey to the pink shade – you’re ok!
• Fresh herbs make a huge difference. As always, but in this case some fresh coriander will elevate the whole dish. Don’t skip this!

That’s it for now. Enjoy this quick and easy recipe that will come in handy on school nights, weekends, or whenever you just want an amazing flavour packed dish!

Love,

Marbie

Thai Style King Prawn Curry

Quick and easy coconut prawn curry, packed with exceptional flavour!

• 800 g King Prawns (defrosted)
• 1 Large Red Onion (cut into quarters)
• 3 Red Romano Peppers (cut into quarters)
• 1-2 Scotch Bonnet Peppers (cut into half)
• 3 bulbs Garlic (peeled)
• Knob of Ginger (peeled)
• Handful of Fresh Coriander
• 2 tbsp Thai 7 Spice
• Chicken Stock Pot ((Knorr))
• 2 carton Coconut Cream ((not creamed coconut))
• Handful of Craisins ((optional))
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2-3 Kaffir Lime Leaves
• 1/2 Fresh Lime

1. Combine the Onion, Peppers, Scotch Bonnet, Garlic, Ginger, Fresh Coriander, Olive Oil (2tbsp), in a food processor and blitz until almost smooth.

2. Heat the wok (medium- high heat), then add 2 tbsp of Olive Oil and then add the pepper mixture.

3. Stir for a few minutes on medium heat until cooked down, then add Thai 7 Spice & Chicken Stock Pot. (no need to dilute the stock pot in hot water)

4. Add Prawns and stir for 1 minute.(Prawns won't be fully cooked)

5. Add coconut cream & kaffir lime leaves and stir. Allow to cook for five minutes until prawns are fully pink and sauce has reduced.

6. Add craisins if you have a sweet tooth like me. Otherwise top off with some more fresh coriander, squeeze fresh lime over the curry and enjoy.

7. Can be served with rice of your choice but basmati mixed in with some fresh coriander is a great option!