Ingredients

• 75ml/2½fl oz vegetable oil
• 50g/1¾oz ready-made red curry paste from a jar
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar (available from Asian supermarkets)
• 1 medium butternut squash
• peeled
• seeds removed
• cut into large chunks
• 1 large sweet potato
• peeled
• cut into large chunks
• 1 x 400ml/14fl oz tin coconut milk
• 90ml/6 tbsp coconut cream
• ½ tbsp fish sauce (nam pla)
• 2 sticks lemongrass
• bruised
• 1 tbsp lime pickle from a jar (available from supermarkets and Asian supermarkets)
• 250g/9oz raw king prawns
• peeled and de-veined
• 250g/9oz egg noodles
• cooked according to packet instructions
• 55ml/2fl oz vegetable oil
• 50g/1¾oz red chilli
• thinly sliced
• 50g/1¾oz garlic
• thinly sliced
• 50g/1¾oz shallots
• thinly sliced
• 50g/1¾oz beansprouts
• picked and washed
• small bunch coriander
• leaves only
• small bunch of basil
• leaves only

Directions

• Heat the oil in a wok over a medium heat and fry the red curry paste for two minutes
• until fragrant. Add the palm sugar and cook for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is sticky.
• Stir in the squash and sweet potato and cook for 2–3 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk
• coconut cream
• fish sauce and the lemongrass and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to simmer for 20–30 minutes
• or until the squash and potato are tender but not mushy. Add the lime pickle and king prawns and cook for 2–3 minutes
• until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
• For the garnish
• heat the oil in a wok over a low heat. Add the sliced chilli and cook slowly until all of the moisture from the chillies has evaporated (at which point the oil will stop bubbling)
• then turn up the heat slightly
• so the chillies caramelise and crisp up. Remove the chilli slices with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat this cooking process with the sliced garlic and the shallots.
• To serve
• divide the noodles among four shallow bowls. Top with several spoonfuls of the curry
• then sprinkle each bowl with a little of the bean shoots
• coriander leaves and basil leaves. Garnish with a pinch of each of the crisp fried chillies
• garlic and shallots.