Make Thai jungle seafood curry

Jungle curry (kaeng paa moo) is unlike most other Thai curries as it does not contain coconut milk. The reason for this is because coconuts do not grow in the jungles of northern Thailand, which is where the recipe originated. Hence, a jungle curry is meant to have a watery, rather than creamy, consistency. This type of curry is not for the faint-hearted – it‘s traditionally an extremely hot curry, with the paste often including a considerable dose of young peppercorns.
Serves 4
1 tbs peanut oil
2 (about 500g) salmon fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
800g green prawns, peeled, leaving tails intact, deveined
1 cup (250ml) fish stock
2 tbs fish sauce
1 tsp caster sugar
Coriander leaves, to serve
Steamed jasmine rice, to serve
Curry paste
10 fresh green birdseye chillies, chopped (seeds optional)*
1 tbs finely chopped galangal
1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
2 fresh coriander roots and stems, finely chopped
1 tsp finely grated kaffir lime rind*
2 purple Asian shallots, finely chopped
1 tsp shrimp paste
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1. To make the curry paste, place the chilli, galangal, lemongrass, coriander, lime rind, shallots, shrimp paste and garlic in a mortar and pound with a pestle until a paste forms. Season well with salt.
2. Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the salmon and cook, gently tossing occasionally, for 2 minutes or until light brown. Transfer to a bowl. Add the prawns to the wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes or until prawns change colour and curl. Transfer to the bowl.
3. Add the curry paste to the wok over high heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add the salmon, prawns and fish stock and bring to a simmer. Add the fish sauce and caster sugar and season to taste with sugar and fish sauce.
4. Place in serving bowls and sprinkle with coriander leaves. Serve immediately with steamed rice, if desired.

* Most of the heat in a chilli comes from its seeds and membrane. Add a portion of the seeds from the chillies for an even spicier curry.
* If kaffir limes are not available, replace with Tahitian lime rind (regular limes).