Thai Fish and Prawn Laksa

This warming soup recipe can be thrown together in just 30 minutes.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons rice bran oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
½ red chilli, seeds removed and roughly chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
1 makrut (kaffir) lime leaf, finely chopped
2 x 400ml tins coconut milk
1½ cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon fish sauce
300 grams pumpkin, peeled and diced
100 grams raw prawn cutlets
300 grams firm white fish fillets, sliced into 3cm chunks
4 stems broccolini, quartered
2 teaspoons palm sugar (see Cook’s note) or brown sugar
juice 1 lime
300 grams rice noodles
To serve
1 cup mung beans
1 spring onion, thinly sliced
½ red chilli, thinly sliced
¼ cup coriander leaves
¼ cup basil or mint leaves
2 tablespoons fried shallots
1 lime, cut into wedges

METHOD

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the shallots, garlic, ginger and chilli and fry over a low heat, stirring frequently. Add the red curry paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the chopped lime leaf, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce and pumpkin and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Add the broccolini, fish, prawn cutlets, palm sugar and lime juice and cook for a further 4 minutes, or until the seafood is cooked through.

Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Cook noodles for about 2-4 minutes until soft.

To serve: Divide noodles among four bowls, ladle over laksa and top with accompaniments.

Cook’s note: Palm sugar is available from any good Asian grocer. If you can’t find any, it can be replaced with brown sugar.

Wine match: Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc