Yellow Curry with Prawns and Lotus Stems

Ingredients

Contains: soy, fish, shellfish (auto-detected from the ingredients and method; we can miss things, so check labels)

• 3 dried red kashmiri chillies (available at Asian grocers or online)
• 1 red bird's-eye chilli
• 3 lemongrass
• 25g/1oz fresh galangal
• 50g/2oz fresh turmericturmeric
• 50g/2oz onions or shallots
• 30g/1oz garlic
• 2 tsp shrimp paste
• 60g/2oz tamarind
• 450g/1lb large raw unpeeled prawns
• ½tsp salt
• 4 heaped tbsp Thai yellow curry paste
• 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
• 1 green bird's-eye chilli

Directions

Method written by CompKitchen from the ingredient list. Not the original author's method, not kitchen-tested.

1. Soak the dried red kashmiri chillies in a bowl of hot water for 20 minutes until soft, then drain and chop them roughly. Soak the 60g tamarind in a splash of hot water for 10 minutes, press it through a sieve and keep the juice.

2. Trim the lemongrass and slice it, then slice the galangal, turmeric and onions or shallots. Blend these with the garlic, soaked chillies, the red and green bird's-eye chillies, shrimp paste and salt, adding a splash of water, to a smooth paste.

3. Put 100ml of the coconut milk in a wok over medium heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until the oil separates. Stir in the Thai yellow curry paste and the blended paste, and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often.

4. Add the 2-3 tbsp tamarind, the remaining coconut milk, the fish sauce and the palm sugar, then stir until the sugar dissolves and the sauce simmers gently.

5. Add the prawns and lotus stems and simmer for 8 minutes until the prawns are pink, curled and opaque, reaching 145°F (63°C) in the thickest part and the lotus stems are tender.

6. Stir in the lime juice and taste, adjusting with a little more fish sauce or sugar if needed. Scatter with the thinly sliced green chilli if you like and serve hot.