Singaporean Prawns with Sweet Basil Leaves





Singaporean Prawns with Sweet Basil

Recipe only

Singapore's multi-ethic culture and heritage serves up some amazing dishes that combine ingredients from around Asia, great colors, aromas and some of the best street food in the world. This, like so many good Asian recipes is very simple and easy to create as long as you use fresh ingredients. 



INGREDIENTS

600 g raw, fresh medium prawns
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons dry curry paste (see below)
3/4 cup (185 ml) coconut milk
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons palm sugar
Handful of Thai sweet basil leaves, for garnish
1 long red chili, seeded and finely sliced, for garnish

Dry Curry Paste

2 dried long red chilies
2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely sliced
3 cm piece, fresh peeled galangal, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 Asian shallots (purple), finely chopped
6 coriander roots, washed, finely chopped
1 teaspoon, shrimp paste
1 teaspoon ground cumin, dry roasted
3 tablespoons unsalted peanuts, chopped

METHOD

1. Deseed the chilies and soak the skins in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain and chop.

2. In a pestle and mortar, pound the chilies, lemongrass and galangal into a smooth paste. Add the remaining ingredients one at a time and pound again till a smooth paste forms, put some elbow grease into it..hhaaaa

3. Use can also use some new technology called a spice grinder to do the work for you, use a little cooking oil to get things going.





METHOD

1. Peel and clean the prawns, cut the backs and butterfly them, be careful not to cut to deep. Leave the tails in tacked.

2. Heat the oil in a saucepan or wok, and stir-fry the dry curry paste over a medium heat for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

3. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce and palm sugar and cook for a few seconds. Add the prawns and cook for a few minutes or until the prawns are cooked through. Taste, then adjust the seasoning if necessary. Spoon into a serving dish and garnish with the Thai sweet basil leaves and chili.



Location: South East Asia

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