Thai Red Curry with Prawns and Zucchini Recipe
This aromatic red curry with prawns and zucchini is a quick one-pot dish that smells like a little Thai eatery. In Thailand, seafood curries are popular in coastal regions – at home this works perfectly as a weekend lunch or dinner for guests, because it looks impressive yet comes together in under half an hour.
Red curry is one of the core Thai curries, and in coastal regions it’s often paired with prawns and other seafood instead of chicken or pork.
This curry tastes like something from a Thai restaurant, but relies on ingredients you can find in a regular supermarket. Kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil give it a fresh, citrusy‑herbal character that simple coconut sauces usually lack. It all comes together in a single pot, so it’s perfect for a busy weeknight.
Why this version works
- Frying the curry paste in oil first draws out its aromas and creates a deeper flavour than just simmering it directly in coconut milk.
- Briefly cooking the vegetables in the sauce keeps their colour and a slight bite, which contrasts nicely with the tender prawns.
- Adding the prawns at the very end to a hot sauce prevents them from overcooking and turning rubbery.
Chef's tips
The easiest way to ruin this curry is to add the prawns to a sauce that isn’t hot enough – they’ll release water and the sauce will turn thin. Keep an eye on the zucchini: when the flesh just by the skin starts to look slightly translucent, it’s your cue to get the prawns ready. If the sauce feels too heavy, add a splash of water or stock instead of thinning it with more coconut milk alone.
How to serve
Serve with jasmine rice or simple coconut rice, which will echo the creaminess of the sauce. Put fresh chilies, lime wedges and extra basil on the table so everyone can tweak their own bowl. It’s an ideal “centre‑of‑the‑table” dish for a get‑together – one pot of curry surrounded by bowls of rice.
Watch out for
- Don’t fry the curry paste over high heat – it burns quickly, turns dark and gives the sauce a bitter taste.
- Don’t cover the pot after adding the prawns; the trapped steam will easily overcook them and make them tough.
- Be careful with extra salt – fish sauce is very salty, so you usually won’t need any additional salt.
Substitutions
- You can swap the prawns for chunks of firm white fish, shortening the cooking time by 1–2 minutes.
- Swap the zucchini for Asian eggplant or regular eggplant, cut into cubes and cooked a bit longer.
- Replace kaffir lime leaves with very finely grated lime zest, avoiding the white pith, which is bitter.
Ingredients
- raw prawns - 300 g
- zucchini - 1 piece
- bell pepper żółta lub czerwona - 1 piece
- coconut milk kokosowe z puszki - 400 ml
- Thai red curry paste - 2 tablespoons
- fish sauce rybny - 1.5 tablespoons
- sugar trzcinowy - 1 teaspoon
- dried kaffir lime leaves - 2 piece
- oil roślinny - 1 tablespoon
- lime juice - 1.5 tablespoons
- fresh Thai basil or regular basil - 1 handful
- rice jaśminowy ugotowany
Preparation
- If using frozen prawns, thaw them in the fridge or in cold water, then pat them very dry with a paper towel. They should look matte and feel dry to the touch so they don’t water down the sauce.
- Slice the zucchini into half‑moons or quarter‑moons and the bell pepper into thin strips. Have the kaffir lime leaves ready, and shake the coconut milk well so the fat combines with the liquid.
- Heat the oil in a large pan or heavy‑bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the red curry paste and fry for 30–60 seconds, stirring, until it becomes very fragrant and starts to foam slightly but doesn’t darken.
- Pour in 3–4 tablespoons of coconut milk and stir until the paste fully dissolves into a smooth, uniform red sauce. A thin, oily ring should appear around the edges.
- Add the remaining coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce and sugar. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer – small bubbles and a creamy surface should form without a vigorous boil.
- Add the sliced zucchini and pepper strips. Cook for 5–6 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables soften but still spring back slightly when pressed with a spoon, and the zucchini near the skin looks slightly translucent.
- Add the prawns to the curry and gently stir. Cook for 3–4 minutes, until they turn from grey to a bright pink and become opaque; when cut through, the centre should no longer look glassy.
- Turn off the heat, remove any visible kaffir lime leaves and pour in the lime juice. Gently stir so you don’t break up the prawns; the sauce should be smooth, lightly thickened and coat the vegetables.
- Taste the sauce and, if needed, adjust with more fish sauce (saltiness) or lime juice (acidity). If the curry is too hot, add a little more coconut milk and a pinch of sugar until the flavour rounds out.
- Serve the hot curry with cooked jasmine rice, sprinkled with basil leaves. The rice should soak up some of the sauce, creating a creamy, aromatic bowl with clearly visible, juicy prawns.
Storage
No storage information available for this dish.
I usually make this curry on Saturday evenings when we want a “restaurant at home” – the pot goes straight to the middle of the table and everyone helps themselves to seconds.
