Looking for a quick healthy meal? This Thai prawn curry, served with basmati rice, is ready in 20 minutes – So much quicker than takeaway!
This Thai prawn curry makes a fantastic weeknight meal any time of the year. It’s warm, comforting, and perfect for cool days. Plus, it’s packed with vegetables!
It’s one of those quick meals you can whip up in no time, without planning.
It comes together all in one pot, and it’s incredibly simple to prepare.
I can’t claim this Thai red prawn curry is super traditional, but it’s an easier and quicker version of traditional Thai curry.
It’s also naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, making it a fantastic option if for a last-minute dinner party.
It’s totally freezer-friendly and easy to customize by adding extra veggies or skipping the prawns for a vegetarian version.
The best part is that it comes together easily in just about 20 minutes, making it perfect for a quick meal during the week.
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Thai red prawn curry ingredients
This red Thai prawn curry is easily made with just 10 ingredients.
Here below you can find a few helpful tips on how to choose them.
RED CURRY PASTE
We’d all love to be able to have a Thai red curry any night of the week made with homemade red curry paste, but it’s not always possible.
Supermarket curry paste in a jar might not have the vibrant flavor of homemade curry paste, but most of the time works great too.
My tip to make curry paste in a jar taste way better: sauté the curry paste in oil with grated garlic, ginger, and lemongrass paste.
Adding these fresh aromatics works like a charm for improving the flavor!
Alternatively, if you don’t have those aromatics at hand, a great cooking hack is to simply substitute them with a generous pinch of vegetable stock powder.
The best Thai red curry paste I tried are from Mae Anong and Maesri (widely available in the US) and Mae Ploy and Cock (widely available in the UK and Europe).
BASMATI RICE
Basmati rice is a fragrant thin long rice with a subtle nutty flavour.
Both white basmati rice and wholegrain basmati rice work wonderfully for prawn coconut curry.
If you want to cook it on the stove (like I do), you need 1 cup of basmati + 1 ½ cups cold water.
For regular basmati rice, the cooking time is about 12 minutes.
Cooking brown basmati rice takes about 45 minutes and you need to increase the water by ½ cup.
If you want to cook it in a rice cooker, simply add rice and water to the cooking pot, select the corresponding program, and press the start button.
KING PRAWNS
Fresh or frozen raw peeled jumbo prawns are my go-to option, they’re big and juicy and taste amazing.
For a convenient alternative, go for regular raw prawns, they’re smaller but much more cost-effective, and they still taste great.
VEGETABLES
When it comes to curry, you can go crazy with the veggies!
You can keep it simple with a mix of red bell pepper and carrot, but other veggies that work great in prawn coconut curry are pak choi, snow peas, zucchini, and broccoli.
How to make Thai prawn curry
This delicious and quick prawn red Thai curry is super simple to prepare in just 4 easy steps.
Scroll until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.
STEP 1. Place rice in a pot of water, cover and bring to a boil, then simmer for 40 minutes.
STEP 2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, add in the bell pepper and carrot, and stir-fry them for about 4 minutes.
STEP 3. Add the curry paste, followed by coconut milk and stock, then bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes.
STEP 4. Add in the prawns and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Turn the heat off, drizzle with lime juice, sprinkle with fresh coriander, and serve with basmati rice.
Storage tips
Thai curry freezes beautifully, however, I recommend skipping the prawns.
Follow the recipe, then store portions in air-tight containers.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Defrost the curry and reheat it gently in a large skillet. Add in the prawns and cook them for 2 minutes, then serve.
More Thai Recipes To Try
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Recipe
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Looking for a quick healthy meal? This Thai prawn curry, served with basmati rice, is ready in 20 minutes – So much quicker than takeaway!
Serving: 2
Calories: 423kcal
Ingredients
- 130 g brown basmati rice, or brown jasmine rice
- 2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil , or vegetable oil
- 1 carrot, thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon ginger, grated (optional)
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
- 200 ml full-fat coconut milk, (about ½ a can)
- 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder, or half stock cube
- 150 g raw king prawns, heads and shell removed
- ½ lime
- 3 tablespoon fresh coriander, finely chopped
Instructions
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Place the brown basmati into a large pot, add in 600 ml of water, cover the pan with a lid and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a minimum and simmer for 40 minutes, until the rice is soft and slightly chewy. Turn the heat off, and let the rice sit undisturbed for 5 minutes before serving.
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add in sliced carrot and bell pepper and stir-fry them for about 4 minutes.
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Add the garlic, ginger (if using), and red curry paste into the skillet, and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.
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Pour in the coconut milk followed by the stock powder, then bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes.
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Add the king prawns into the skillet with the other veggies, and cook all the ingredients for a further 2 minutes, or until the prawns turn pink and are cooked through.
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Turn the heat off, drizzle the curry with the juice of half lime, sprinkle the fresh coriander on top and serve with basmati rice.
Notes
Ingredients substitution
Brown basmati rice: regular basmati or jasmine rice.
Vegetable stock powder: for extra flavour, you can substitute with 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger and ¼ teaspoon of lemongrass paste.
Carrot and bell pepper: broccoli, snow peas, green beans, sweet potato, zucchini.
How to store leftovers
Fridge: It keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days without the prawns.
Freezer: It will keep well int he freezer for up to 1 month without the prawns. Defrost the curry and reheat it gently in a large skillet. Add in the prawns and cook them for 2 minutes, then serve.
Nutritional information provided for curry only without rice.
Nutrition
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 560mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 8324IU | Vitamin C: 85mg | Calcium: 95mg | Iron: 4mg
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
