Name: Prawn and crab Tom Kha
Cook time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 1 stick lemongrass (white part only); 2 shallots,peeled; 1 small knob ginger,peeled and chopped; half a bunch coriander root and stem,washed; 2 x 400ml cans coconut milk; 1.2 litres water; 5 makrut lime leaves; 8 green prawns; 4 blue swimmer crabs,cleaned and cut in quarters; 1 tomato chopped; 4 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp grated palm sugar (or brown sugar); juice of 2-3 limes; coriander leaves,to garnish

Time:<30 minsServes:4

This dish is all about the lively freshness of the ingredients - the lemongrass and lime leaves especially. Don't cook for too long,and serve at once. You can use anything you like here - mussels instead of crab,fish,chicken or just prawns.

Ingredients

1 stick lemongrass (white part only)
2 shallots,peeled
1 small knob ginger,peeled and chopped
half a bunch coriander root and stem,washed
2 x 400ml cans coconut milk
1.2 litres water
5 makrut lime leaves
8 green prawns
4 blue swimmer crabs,cleaned and cut in quarters
1 tomato chopped
4 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp grated palm sugar (or brown sugar)
juice of 2-3 limes
coriander leaves,to garnish

Method

With a mortar and pestle,roughly crush the lemongrass,shallots,ginger and coriander root and stems.
In a large pot,combine the coconut milk,water,the crushed aromatics and lime leaves and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the prawns,crab and tomato and gently cook for 10 minutes.
Now add the fish sauce,palm sugar and lime juice to taste - there should be a balance of sweet,sour and salty - adjust to your liking.
To serve
Serve garnished with coriander leaves.