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Prawn curry recipe

Fragrant Prawn Curry Recipe

Fragrant Thai prawn curry

Spices, garlic, chilli and ginger are great from boosting your immune. Chef Ken Hom shares his delicious prawn curry recipe to try at home

This fragrant prawn curry is a delightful stir-fry dish. I enjoyed it for the first time in Singapore some time ago. The aromatic lemon grass gives it a unique fragrance. Prawns have a distinct but delicate taste and the clean, mildly citrus touch of the lemon grass is a perfect counterpart. Use fresh lemon grass whenever possible – if your search is fruitless, you may substitute 2 tablespoons of lemon zest.

 

Ken Hom’s Thai prawn curry recipe

Ingredients: (Serves 2–4)

  • 450g (1lb) raw prawns
  • 1 stick of lemon grass
  • 1 fresh red or green chilli
  • 2 tbsp ground nut oil
  • 100g (4oz) onions, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
  • 2 tsp finely chopped fresh root ginger
  • 2 tsp Madras curry paste
  • 1 tsp chilli bean sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
  • 2 tsp light soy sauce a few fresh sprigs of
  • coriander, to garnish
  • salt and pepper

Method:

Step one Peel the prawns and discard the shells. Using a small sharp knife, remove the fine digestive cord. Wash the prawns in cold water with ½ teaspoon of salt, rinse well and pat them dry with kitchen paper.

Step two Remove the outer layer of the stick of lemon grass until you get to the tender, whitish core. Chop the lemon grass core finely. Split the chilli in half and carefully remove and discard the seeds. Chop the chilli finely and combine it with the lemon grass.

Step three Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until it is hot. Add the oil and, when it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the onions, garlic, ginger, lemon grass and chilli and stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the prawns and continue to stir-fry for 1 minute. Now add the remainder  of the ingredients, season with ¼ teaspoon of pepper  and add 2 tablespoons of water. Continue to stir-fry for 4 minutes or until the prawns are firm and cooked. Turn the mixture onto a warm serving platter, garnish with the coriander and serve at once.

 

We caught up with the chef to talk about his latest foodie ventures and what’s next – read our interview with Ken here. Find more inspiration on Ken’s official site.