Yellow curry with prawns and lotus stems

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Ingredients

For the yellow curry paste
  • 3 dried red kashmiri chillies (available at Asian grocers or online)
  • 1 red bird's-eye chilli, chopped
  • 3 lemongrass stalks, tough outer leaves removed, soft inner core chopped
  • 25g/1oz fresh galangal or fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
  • 50g/2oz fresh turmeric root, chopped (substitute 2 tsp turmeric powder if unavailable)
  • 50g/2oz onions or shallots, peeled, roughly chopped
  • 30g/1oz garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp shrimp paste
For the tamarind water
  • 60g/2oz tamarind pulp (available at Asian grocers)
  • 150ml/5fl oz warm water
For the curry
  • 450g/1lb large raw unpeeled prawns
  • 450ml/16fl oz water
  • ½tsp salt
  • 4 heaped tbsp Thai yellow curry paste (see recipe above)
  • 150g/5oz lotus stems, cut into 5cm/2in pieces (or pak choi pieces or fresh pineapple chunks)
  • 150ml/5fl oz coconut milk
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp palm sugar (available at Asian grocers; substitute golden caster sugar if unavailable)
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2-3 tbsp tamarind water (see recipe above)
  • 1 green bird's-eye chilli, thinly sliced, to garnish

Preparation method

  1. For the yellow curry paste, place the dried chillies into a bowl and cover with hot water. Leave to soak for 30 minutes, or until soft. Drain, reserving two tablespoons of the soaking liquid.
  2. Place the softened chillies and the reserved soaking liquid into a food processor along with all of the remaining curry paste ingredients. Blend to a smooth paste and set aside until needed.
  3. For the tamarind water, place the tamarind pulp into a bowl and cover with the warm water. Work the pulp between your fingers to break it down, and so that the seeds are released. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid and discarding the fibrous material that is left behind. (This recipe will make more tamarind water than is needed for the curry; store the rest of the water in an airtight jar or bottle in the fridge and use within 24 hours.)
  4. For the curry, peel the prawns, reserving the heads and shells. Place the heads and shells into a pan with the water and salt, then bring to the boil, skimming off any scum as it rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 15 minutes.
  5. Strain 300ml/10½fl oz of the prawn stock into a clean pan, stir in the curry paste until well combined, then bring to a simmer for one minute. Add the lotus stems (or pak choi or pineapple, if using) and the prawns and simmer for a further 2-3 minutes, or until the prawns have turned pink and are just cooked through.
  6. Add the coconut milk, lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind water. Simmer for another minute to heat through.
  7. To serve, spoon the curry into four serving bowls and sprinkle over the sliced green chilli.

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