Malaysian coconut prawn curry recipe

Gary Rhodes' Malaysian curry with prawns is cooked in a creamy spiced fruit sauce and served with braised coconut rice

Gary Rhodes: "This dish holds close to two classic Malaysian dishes – Prawn sambal and Nasi Lemak. The great thing about both is their ease to prepare and cook, resulting in great pleasure to eat."

• 2 tbsp light soft brown sugar
• 3 tbsp thick coconut cream
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• ½ tsp salt
• 16-20 medium sized fresh king prawns, peeled
• 1 small or ½ large pineapple, cut into ½cm cubes

For the braised rice

• 300g long grain rice, washed in a sieve until water runs clear
• 400ml can coconut milk
• 100ml water
• ½ tsp salt
• 3-4 thin slices of ginger

For the spice paste

• 50ml vegetable oil
• 3 red chillies, each halved with seeds removed (1 or 2 more can be added for a more fiery finish)
• 1cm piece of fresh ginger, sliced
• 1 large red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp water

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Bring the coconut milk, water, salt and ginger to the boil. Add the washed rice and return to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid and braise in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, before removing the rice from the oven. Should the rice be slightly undercooked, leave to stand with the lido on to continue the cooking process for a few minutes before serving.

2. For the spice paste, grind together all of the spice ingredients to a paste in a small blender, adding a touch of the oil a little at a time to keep the blades turning, if needed. Heat the remaining oil in a wok or frying pan and stir fry the paste for 6-8 minutes over a medium heat until fragrant.

3. To make the sauce, add the light soft brown sugar, coconut cream, lime juice and salt, simmering gently for a minute or two before adding the prawns and pineapple. Continue to simmer for a few minutes more and the prawns are beginning to firm to the touch.

4. The prawns are now ready to serve with the braised coconut rice.

Cook's tip: Freshly chopped coriander can be sprinkled over the prawns. The sauce, if too thick, can be loosened with a little more water or coconut cream.

Recipe by Gary Rhodes for Malaysia Kitchen, a worldwide celebration of Malaysian cuisine