Crispy Fish in Chilli Sauce

Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

500g fish fillets

1 cup plain flour

½ cup cornflour

¾ cup water

1 egg white

Oil for deep frying

Sauce

1 tbsp oil

1 tbsp grated green ginger

3 cloves garlic

¼ cup tomato sauce

¼ cup chilli sauce

2 tsps sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsps dry sherry

2 tbsps water

Method

For sauce

• Place oil, grated green ginger, tomato sauce, chilli sauce, crushed garlic together in a pan. Stir in medium heat for 1 minute. Mix in the other ingredients. Stir well. Set aside

• Separate fish from bones using a sharp knife. Remove any bones and cut the flesh into 1 inch cubes.

• Sift flour and cornflour together in a mixing bowl. Add in egg white and water. Beat well to form a smooth batter.

• Heat oil in pan for deep frying. Dip fish pieces in batter to coat completely. Drain excess batter from fish and lower fish pieces into hot oil carefully. Cook for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.

• Place chilli sauce in a wok. Add in fried fish pieces and toss over high heat until fish is coated with sauce. Heat through. Serve hot.

Scallops and Fish in Ginger and Lime Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 12-15 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

500g firm white fish fillets
350g scallops
2 tablespoons oil
5 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
3 spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons chili jam
2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind

¼ cup fresh coriander leaves

lime wedges, optional

Method

1. Cut the fish into bite-size pieces and remove any black veins from the scallops. Heat half the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the ginger and spring onions and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the wok and set aside. Reheat the wok and when it is very hot, add the remaining oil.

2. Add the fish and scallops in 3 batches and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the wok and set aside.

3. Add the lime juice, chilli jam, water and lime rind to the wok; bring to the boil, stirring. Return the fish, scallops, and onion/ginger mixture to the wok, tossing gently with the sauce. Serve immediately sprinkled with coriander leaves. Garnish with lime wedges and serve the seafood with steamed rice.

Hint

Refrigerate the chilli jam after opening.

Note

Seafood should be stir-fried in a very hot wok and tossed constantly. Be careful not to overcook it or it will become tough.

Fish FIllets with Chilli Lime Sauce Recipe

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total cooking time: 10 minutes
Recipe serves 4-6

Ingredients

¼ cup rice flour or cornflour

6 medium-sized firm, white fish fillets, such as perch, bream or flake

2 tablespoons oil

Chilli Lime Sauce

6 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons chopped red chillies

1 tablespoon soft brown sugar

¼ cup lime juice

2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind

2 tablespoons water

Method

1. Place the flour on a plate and press the fish fillets lightly in the flour until coated. Shake off excess flour.

2. Heat the oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Add fillets in batches to the pan and cook them over medium heat, turning once. Remove to a warmed serving plate and keep warm. 

3. To make Chilli Lime Sauce: 

Drain excess oil from the pan; add garlic and chillies and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add sugar, juice and rind, and water. Bring sauce to the boil, stirring. Cook for 1 minute; spoon over the fish. Serve with rice.

Hints

Remove the seeds from the chillies if you want to make the sauce less hot.

Two tablespoons of coconut cream can be added to the sauce, if you like.

Rice flour gives a delicious taste and a light, delicate coating.

Steamed Mussels with Lemon Grass, Basil and Wine Recipe

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Recipe serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 kg mussels
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stems lemon grass (white part only), chopped
1-2 teaspoons chopped red chillies
1 cup white wine or water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, roughly chopped

Method

1. Scrub the outside of the mussels with a brush. Remove and discard the beards. Soak the mussels in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes; drain and discard any open shells.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or large pan. Add the onion, garlic, lemon grass and chillies, and cook for 4 minutes over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and fish sauce to the wok and cook for 3 minutes.

3. Add the mussels to the wok and toss well. Cover the wok; increase the heat and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the mussels open. Discard any unopened mussels. Add the chopped basil; toss well and serve with steamed rice.

Hint
Do not overcook the mussels or they will become tough. Use small black fresh mussels.

Crisp Fried Whole Fish with Sour Pepper and Coriander Sauce Recipe

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

1 kg whole snapper or red emperor, scaled and cleaned
1 cup oil, for frying
4 spring onions, chopped
5 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
2-4 teaspoons fresh green peppercorn, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped red chillies

½ cup coconut milk

1 tablespoon tamarind puree

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 cup fresh coriander leaves

chilli sauce for serving

Method

1. Cut a shallow, criss-cross pattern on both sides of the fish. Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife, trim the fins, if they are very long, Heat the oil in a large wok or heavy-based, deep frying pan.

2. Place the whole fish in the oil and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, moving fish around in the oil to ensure the whole fish is crisp and cooked (including the tail and head). Drain fish well on paper towels; place on a warmed serving plate and keep warm.

3. Drain almost all the oil form the wok, heat over medium heat, add the spring onions, ginger, peppercorns and chillies; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the coconut milk, tamarind and fish sauce to the wok, and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Spread the sauce over the fish; sprinkle with coriander leaves and then serve, on a bed of lettuce if you like, with chilli sauce.

Note

For serving, use tongs or a small spatula to lift pieces of fish away from the bones. Then remove the bones, or turn fish over, and lift pieces of fish from the underside.

Variation

Any firm, sweet fish is suitable for this dish.

Steamed Fish Cutlets with Ginger and Chili Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Totol cooking time: 10 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

4 medium-sized snapper or other firm white fish cutlets
5 cm piece fresh ginger, cut into fine shreds
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped red chillies
2 tablespoons finely chopped coriander stalks
3 spring onions, cut into fine shreds, each 4 cm long
2 tablespoons lime juice
lime wedges, for serving

Method

1. Line a bamboo steaming basket with banana leaves or baking paper. (The steaming basket is lined for this dish so that fish will not stick or taste of bamboo.)

2. Arrange the fish cutlets in the base of the basket and top with the ginger, garlic, chillies and coriander stalkers.Cover and steam over a wok or large pan of boiling water for 5-6 minutes.

3. Remove the lid and sprinkle the spring onions and lime juice over the fish. Cover the basket and steam for 30 seconds, or until the fish is cooked. Serve immediately with wedges of lime and steamed rice that has been garnished with onions or herbs.

Hint 
Fish is cooked when the flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Variation
A small, whole fish may be used instead of cutlets. Cut three deep slashes into the thickest part of the flesh and steam for 15 minutes.

Crisp Prawns and Scallops with Red Curry Recipe

Preparation time: 25 minutes + 30 minutes refrigeration
Total cooking time: 10 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

500g raw prawns
250g fresh scallops
1-2 tablespoons Red curry paste
2 tablespoons oil
2 edium ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind, to garnish

Method

1. Peel the prawns leaving the tail on, cut down the backs and devein. Combine the prawns, scallops, curry paste and oil in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2. Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan until it is very hot. Toss the seafood in the curry paste again to coat well and add to the wok in 2-3 batches; cook each batch for 3 minutes, tossing frequently.

3. Remove from the heat; return all the seafood to the wok. Add the tomatoes and lime juice and stir well. Serve immediately, garnished with lime rind. Serve with steamed rice.

Note
Cook seafood quickly in a hot wok to seal in the juices and flavour. Don't overcook seafood or it will become tough.

Prawns in Soured Lime Coconut Sauce Recipe

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
2 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely chopped
2-4 kaffir lime leaves
2 teaspoons chopped red chillies
2 tablespoons tamarind puree
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
500g raw prawns

¼ cup shredded coconut, toasted rind of 2 fresh limes

Method

1. Place the shrimp paste on a small peice of foil; fold one side over and then fold into a parcel. Cook parcel under hot grill for 2 minutes each side.

2. Combine the coconut milk and water in a wok or frying pan and cook over medium heat until just boiling. Add lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and chillies to wok; reduce heat; simmer for 7 minutes. Add the tamarind puree, fish sauce, shrimp paste and brown sugar to wok; simmer for 8 minutes.

3. Peel the prawns, leaving the tails intact. Cut down the backs of the prawns and devein. Add the prawns to the sauce and cook for 5 minutes or until the prawns turn pink. Sprinkle with coconut and long, thin shreds of lime rind just before serving with steamed rice.

Notes

Prawns can be cooked and served in their shells. Provide a finger bowl and napkin for each person.

Shrimp paste is roasted to develop the flavour. The aroma may be unpleasant, but the flavour is essential for this dish.

Prawn Omelette Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Recipe serves 2-4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely chopped
2 coriander roots, finely chopped
1-2 teaspoons chopped red chillies
500g small raw prawns, shelled

3 spring onions, chopped, plus ¼ cup shredded, to garnish

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons soft brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons fish sauce

coriander sprigs, to garnish

chilli sauce for serving

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large wok or heavy-based pan. Add garlic, lemon grass, coriander root and chillies to wok and stir over medium heat for 20 seconds. Add prawns to wok and stir-fry until prawns change colour. Add chopped spring onions, pepper, fish sauce and brown sugar to the wok; toss well and remove from wok.

2. Beat the eggs, water and fish sauce in a bowl until mixture is foamy. Add remaing oil to wok and swirl around to coat the sides. Heat the wok and when it is very hot, pour in the egg mixture and swirl the mixture around the wok. Allow the mixture to set on the underneath edges, frequenly lifting the edges once set, and tilting the wok a little to let the unset mixture run underneath. Repeat this process until the omelette is nearly all set.

3. Place three-quarters of the prawn mixture in the centre of the omelette and fold in  sides of the omelette to form a sqare, overlapping the sides a little, or simply fold omelette in half. Slide omelette onto a serving plate and place remaining prawn mixture on the top. Sprinkle with the shredded spring onions. Garnish with coriander; serve with chilli sauce and steamed rice. 

Hint

You can also use a mixture of seafood such as prawns and scallops.

Char-Grilled Stuffed Calamari Tubes Recipe

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total cooking time: 6-10 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

8 very small calamari (squid)
2 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stems lemon garss, finely chopped
4 coriander roots, chopped
1-2 teaspoons Green curry paste
125 g pork mince
100 g chicken mince
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons rice flour
1 tablespoon Golden Mountain sauce
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
chili sauce for serving

Method

1. Pull the tentacles form the body of the calamari. Using your fingers, pull quill from pouch of the calamari. Pull the skin away form the flesh and discard it. Wash the tubes thoroughly.

2. Heat half the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, lemon grass, coriander root and the curry paste to the pan; stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add both the minces, the fish sauce and rice flour to pan. Mix well.

3. Fill each tube with the mixture and secure the end with a tothpick. In a bowl, combine the Golden Mountain sauce, water and sugar; brush over the tubes.

4. Brush a barbecue flatplate with the remaining oil; heat until the flatplate is very hot. Add the tubes and cook, turning frequently, for 4-6 minutes or until the tube is just firm to the touch. Leave for 2 minutes before slicing, or serve whole. Serve with chilli sauce and steamed rice.

Note
Don't use pre-cleaned calamari as the tip will have been removed during cleaning and the stuffing will come out. Baby calamari is very tender and only about 6-8 cm long and 3-4 cm round. If not available, choose the smallest you can find.

Green Prawn Curry Recipe

Preparation time: 35 minutes
Total cooking time: 25 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

500g medium raw prawns

1 ½ cups coconut milk

1 cup water

1-3 tablespoons green curry paste

6 kaffir lime leaves

100g green snake beans, cut into short pieces, optional

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons grated lime rind

2 teaspoons soft brown sugar

1 cup fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Peel the prawns, leaving the tails intact. Cut down the backs and devein. Set aside.

2. Heat the coconut milk and water in a wok or pan for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the curry paste, kaffir lime leaves and beans to the wok. Bring to the boil; simmer 10 minutes. 

3. Add the prawns to wok; simmer for 5-6 minutes or until prawns are pink. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and rind and brown sugar.Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings if necessary. Serve sprinkled with coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice.

Hint

Do not overcook the prawns or they will be rubbery. Prepare everything before you start cooking.

Steamed Fish in Banana Leaves Recipe

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Total cooking time: 7-10 minutes
Recipe makes 10

Ingredients

2 large banana leaves
350g firm white fish fillets
1-2 tablespoons red curry paste
1 cup coconut cream
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
1-2 tablespoons chilli sauce
1 fresh red chilli, chopped, optional

Method

1. Cut the banana leaves into square 10x10 cm and make 3 cm cut towards the centre of each corner. Fold in the corners; staple and/or tie around with a piece of string to form a cup; trim corners if necessary.

2. Cut fish into thin strips and place in a bowl with the curry paste and coconut cream; stir gently to combine. Place spoonfuls of the fish mixture in the centre of each banana leaf cup.

3. Line a large steaming basket with extra banana leaves or cabbage leaves and place the prepared cups in the basket. Top fish with shredded cabbage and a little fish sauce. Place the basket over a wok or simmering water; cover the basket and steam for approximately 7 minutes. Drizzle with lime juice and chilli sauce; serve immediately, topped with chilli.

Hint
The parcels can be coked in foil squares instead of banana leaves.

Fish Cutlets In Red Sauce Recipe

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total cooking time: 35 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon sambal oelek

1 tablespoon soft brown sugar

4 blue-eyed cod cutlets or other firm fish cutlets

2 tablespoons fish sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar or white vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and add the onions. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes or until soft but not browned, Add the chopped tomatoes water, sambal oelek and brown sugar to the wok. Bring to the boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20-25 minutes or until the suace is thick.

2. Add the fish cutlets to the wok and spoon some sauce over them. Cover the wok and cook the fish for 3-5 minutes and then gently turn to cook the other side. If the wok or pan is too small to cook all the fish cutlets at once, cook them in two batches.

3. Transfer the fish to serving plates. Add the fish sauce, vinegar and chopped coriander to the sauce in the wok and then stir well before spooning the sauce over the fish. Serve with steamed rice.

Note

Skin can be removed from the fish cutlets before cooking, if you prefer. Fish cooks quickly so have everything prepared before you start.

Fish Fillets in Coconut Milk Recipe

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

2 long green chillies
2 small red chillies
400g firm white fish fillets
2 stems lemon grass
2 coriander roots
4 kaffier lime leaves, plus extra, for garnish
2 cm piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
3 spring onions, whte part only, finely sliced
1 teaspoon soft borwn sugar
1 cup coconut milk
½ cup coconut cream
1 tablespoon fish sauce
salt
2-3 tablespoons lime juice

Method

1. Heat a wok or large pan until hot; add the whole chillies and roast until just beginning to brown all over. Remove the green chillies from the wok, cool and slice. Cut the fish into 5 cm pieces.

2. Bruise the lemon grass and coriander roots by crushing them with the flat side of a knife.

3. Add lemon grass, coriander roots, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, garlic, onions, sugar and coconut milk to wok. Stir to combne;  bring to the boil . Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add the fish pieces and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes or until the fish is tender. Stir in the coconut crea.

4. Stir through the chopped green chillies, fish sauce, salt and lime juice, to taste. Garnish with some whole kaffir lime leaves, if you like.

Lobster Curry with Capsicum Recipe

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Total cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Recipe serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 raw lobster tails
1 tablespoon oil
1-2 tablespoons Red curry paste
2 stems lemon grass (white part only), finely chopped
1 red capsicum, roughly chopped
1 cup coconut milk
6 dried Chinese dates
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime rind

½ cup fresh coriander leaves

Method

1. Cut down the centre of the lobster tails on the underside. Remove the flesh and cut into 2 cm pieces.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or heavy based frying pan. Add the curry paste and lemon grass and stir for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the lobster pieces a few at a time and stir fry each batch for 2 minutes, just until golden brown. Trasnfer each batch of lobster to a plate and set aside.

3. Add the capsicum to the wok and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the coconut milk and date; bring the mixture to the boil and cook for 5 minutes or until dates are pluump. Add the fish sauce, brown sugar and lime rind. Return the lobster meat to the wok and allow to heat through. Serve immediately with steamed rice. Sprinkle with coriander leaves.

Hint

Cook the lobster meat quickly over a high heat. Do not overcook.

Baby Squid and Green Peppercorn Stir Fry Recipe

Recipe serves 4

Ingredients

500g fresh squid (calamari) rings
1 tablespoon of roughly crushed green peppercorns
oil
4 chopped cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon of chopped red chillies
2 tablespoons of fish sauce
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
½ cup of fresh basil leaves


Method

1. In a bowl, combine 500g fresh squid (calamari) rings, 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon of roughly crushed green peppercorns; allow to stand 15 minutes.

2. Heat a large wok or heavy based frying pan until very hot. Add 2 teaspoons of oil from the marinating squid. Add 4 chopped cloves of garlic and 1 teaspoon of chopped red chillies to the pan and cook for 5 seconds.

3. Add squid to the pan in batches and stir-fry, tossing constantly, for 2 minutes each batch. Transfer each batch to a plate. Reheat wok between each batch. Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce to wok. When it is bubbling, pour it over the squid and serve immediately, garnished with ½ cup of fresh basil leaves.

4. Serve together with rice.

Char-Grilled Baby Octopus Recipe

Preparation time: 1 hour
Total cooking time: 15-25 minutes
Recipe serves 4-6

Ingredients

500g baby octopus
2 tablespoons oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon green or pink peppercorns
2-4 small red chilles, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fish sauce

Method

1. To clean the octopus, use a small sharp knife to remove the gut by either cutting off the head entirely or by slicing open the head and removing the gut.

2. Pick up the body and use the index finger to push up the beak. Remove the beak and discard. Clean the octopus thoroughly. Cut the head into 2 or 3 pieces. Place the cleaned octopus in a shallow dish.

3. Combine the octopus, oil, garlic, peppercorns and chillies in a bowl; marinate for 30 minutes. Heat a barbecue plate or cast iron pan until very hot. Cook 3 octopus at a time, turning frequently, for 3 minutes or until they turn while. Do not overcook. Sprinkle the fish sauce over the top and serve immediately.

These are particularly delicious served with a squeeze of lime. If you wish, you can garnish with a sprig of fresh coriander or some slices of fresh chillies.

Hint
This recipe is also suitable for calamari. Wash the tubes, pat them dry and cut them into squares or long strips. Prepare them in the same way as the octopus, making sure you don't overcook, or they will be tough.

Crisp Sesame Prawns Recipe

Preparation time: 25 minutes +30 minutes resting
Total cooking time: 15 minutes
Recipe makes 12

Ingredients

¼ cip self raising flour

2 tablespoons rice flour

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1 teaspoon red curry paste

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

½ cup water

12 raw king prawns

chili sauce

Method

1. Sift the flours into a medium bowl. Stir in the sesame seeds. Combine the curry paste with the fish sauce and sesame oil in a small jug; add to the dry ingredients with enough water to form a batter the consistency of thick pouring cream. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes while preparing the prawns.

2. Peel the prawns leaving tails intact; devein. Heat the oil to moderately hot in a deep pan or wok. Holding the prawns by their tails, dip them into the batter and then deep fry , in small batches, for about 2 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

3. Remove the prawns from the oil with a wire mesh strainer, slotted spoon or tongs and then drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with some chili sauce.

Hint

If the oil is too hot, the prawns will brown quickly before cooking right through. When tails are pink and prawns have curled up, they are cooked.

Red Curry Oysters Recipe

This Thai recipe takes 10 minutes for preparation and 5 minutes for cooking time. This recipe makes 24.

Ingredients

2 dozen oysters in half shell
1 tablespoon oil
3 teaspoons red curry paste
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
2 tespoons grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 kaffir lime leaves (finely shredded)

¼ cup lime juice

Method

1. Remove the oysters from their shells and wash the shells thoroughly; dry with paper towels and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a small pan, add curry paste, garlic and ginger, cook over high heat for 1 minute or until aromatic.

3. Add sugar, fish sauce, kaffir lime leaves, lime juice and oysters to pan; stir fry for about 3 minutes or until just cooked. Spoon oysters back into shells for serving. Oysters can be served warm or cold, topped with chopped red chili.

For less spicy oysters, reduce curry paste to one or two teaspoons.

Satay Prawns Recipe

Preparation time of 30 minutes including marinating and 20 minutes for total cooking time. This recipe makes 6 skewers.

Satay prawns often refers to grilled or barbecued prawns served on skewers together with satay sauce as a dipping. The prawns are often marinated and can often be replaced with chicken, lamb, beef or others. The satay sauce is often made from peanut butter, coconut milk and curry paste.

Ingredients

12 raw king prawns
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 onion, grated
1 tablespoon fish sauce

½ teaspoon chili flakes

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

5 fresh coriander roots (finely chopped)

2/3 cup coconut milk

Satay Sauce

2 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon red curry paste

1 stem lemon grass (white part only) finely chopped

2 teaspoons tamarind puree

1 cup coconut milk

¼ cup smooth peanut butter

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped

Method

1. Soak six 20 cm long bamboo skewers in water for several hours to prevent them from burning. Peel the prawns, leaving tails intact; devein.

2. Using a mortar and pestle or blender, make marinade by blending the garlic, peanut butter, onion, fish sauce, chili flakes, turmeric, coriander roots and about 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk until smooth. Stir in the remaining coconut milk.

3. Coat the prawns in the marinade, keeping the tails out if possible. Cover the refrigerate for at least two hours. Thread 2 prawns onto each skewer. Reserve remaining marinade for Satay Sauce, leaving a little to brush over prawns during cooking.

4. To make Satay Sauce recipe. Heat oil in a small pan. Add the curry paste, lemon grass and tamarind, and cook over a high heat for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the coconut milk, peanut butter and sugar, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for 2 minutes. Stir in reserved marinade and cook for 2 minutes until well combined and thickened. Serve sprinkled with peanuts.

5. Grill or barbecue prawns until cooked through, turning once during cooking and brushing with marinade. Serve immediately with Satay Sauce.

Note

Thickness of Satay Sauce will depend on the peanut butter. If too thick, thin it with a little water. On standing, oil will rise to the surface.