Nigella's Thai Red Curry with Prawns and Mango
Thai green curry is a fantastic dish but I hardly ever cook it anymore having discovered Nigella's Thai red curry with prawns and mango. The combination of prawns, mango and sweet potato is so good that I can’t help but choose red over green every time.
Although not listed in the original recipe I always add a garlic clove and around a tablespoon of fresh ginger as I feel these ingredients are the backbone of a curry. Feel free to leave them out as this is supposed to be an express recipe. I buy frozen mango cubes as they keep for ages and it can sometimes be difficult to find a ripe mango in the supermarket when you need one. The recipe in Nigella Express specifies king prawns but I sometimes use a mixture of small shrimp and king prawns as it’s cheaper and gives the curry a bit more variety without sacrificing taste.
To make a vegetarian version of this curry leave out the prawns, substitute the fish sauce with soy sauce and the chicken stock with vegetable stock.
Ingredients
Serves: 4
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
- Small bunch spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, chopped
- 1 inch chunk of ginger, peeled and chopped (around 1 tbs)
- 2 tbs Thai red curry paste (or more to taste)
- 1 can coconut milk (400ml. Low fat or regular)
- 250ml chicken stock (about ½ a stock cube)
- 2 tsp fish sauce (nam pla)
- 350g bag of cubed sweet potato and butternut squash
- 150g mango cubes
- 1 tbs lime juice (or more to taste)
- 200g frozen king prawns (defrosted if possible)
- a handful chopped fresh coriander
Method
- Put a wok or large saucepan on a moderate heat and add a splash of vegetable oil.
- Add a small bunch of sliced spring onions to the wok and fry for a minute then add a chopped garlic clove and a tablespoon of fresh, chopped ginger. Fry until the garlic starts to colour.
- Add 2 tablespoons of Thai red curry paste to the wok and fry for a minute then add 400ml coconut milk, 250ml chicken stock and 2 teaspoons of fish sauce. Stir well.
- Once the sauce starts to bubble, add 350g of cubed sweet potato and butternut squash then simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
- As soon as you're able to crush a cube of sweet potato against the side of the wok, add 150g of mango cubes and a tablespoon of lime juice.
- If using frozen prawns rinse them under the tap to get rid of excess ice then drain well before adding to the curry. Simmer for around 3-5 minutes or until the prawns have cooked through.
- Garnish with a handful of chopped coriander, more lime juice if needed and serve with basmati rice or wide rice noodles.