Prawn and asparagus red curry

Prawn and asparagus red curry. Photo / Supplied

Here's a fast, flashy, hot curry using prawns and crunchy asparagus.

Don't know what it is, but they go together so well. Using only a tiny bit of light coconut milk and a little oil, this makes a low-calorie, tasty, non-boombah dinner. I think we have this at least once a week in summer!

Serves 4

6 asparagus spears
6 spring onions
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 knob of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 heaped tbsp red curry paste
1 large onion, chopped in large pieces
20 prawns, cleaned, shelled, deveined, tail intact
3 tbsp light coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce
Juice of 1 lime
2 kaffir lime leaves, very finely shredded lime wedges and coriander leaves, to serve

1 Trim the woody ends off the asparagus and chop each stalk in half. Trim the dark green ends and the tops off the spring onions and slice each one lengthwise so you have a skinnier spring onion. Cut in half so they match in size with the asparagus.

2 Heat the oils in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger, and cook for about one minute, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.

3 Add the onion and stir for a one minute.

4 Add the red curry paste (careful, it will spit) and stir constantly for one minute.

5 Add the prawns and stir-fry for about two minutes, or until they change colour. Add the coconut milk, 185ml (3/4 cup) water, fish sauce, lime juice and kaffir lime leaves. Stir well, then turn the heat down to a simmer.

6 Cover with a lid and cook for about three minutes. Take the lid off, add the asparagus, stir and cover with the lid.

7 Cook a further three minutes, then take the lid off.

8 Add the spring onion, stir through and let the pan gently bubble for one minute.

9 Serve on a warmed platter, with lime wedges and coriander.

* Recipes and images from OMG! I Can Eat That? By Jane Kennedy (Hardie Grant, $34.99). Out now. Photography by Mark Roper.

Kennedy's blog: janekennedyminustheboombah.wordpress.com