Thai green curry with king prawns
Fragrant Thai green curry with king prawns, courgette, tenderstem broccoli and bamboo shoots in creamy coconut sauce — bright, quick and pescatarian.
This is the sort of weeknight curry that tastes like you spent hours on it — fragrant, bright and impossibly quick. Using Thai green curry paste keeps things simple and full of authentic aromatics.
It’s a great pescatarian main: king prawns hold their texture in the coconut sauce while courgette, tenderstem broccoli and bamboo shoots give satisfying bite. Serve with steamed jasmine rice or sticky rice on the side.
Ingredients
- 45 ml Thai green curry paste
- 400 ml coconut milk — one standard tin
- 200 ml fish stock — or vegetable stock if preferred
- 500 g raw king prawns, shelled and deveined
- 2 courgette — cut into 1cm half-moons
- 1 red pepper — thinly sliced
- 200 g tenderstem broccoli — halved lengthways
- 200 g bamboo shoots, drained — tinned, drained
- 1 brown onion — thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves — crushed
- 20 g fresh ginger — finely sliced or julienned
- 30 ml vegetable oil
- 30 ml gluten-free fish sauce
- 1 lime — juice and wedges
- 15 ml light brown sugar
- 20 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped
- 0 ml sea salt — or to taste
Instructions
Prepare everything first: slice the courgettes, red pepper and brown onion; halve the tenderstem broccoli; drain the bamboo shoots; crush the garlic and finely slice the ginger. Pat prawns dry with kitchen paper and set out with lime and coriander.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the sliced brown onion and fry, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the crushed garlic and sliced ginger and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant — don't let them burn.
Stir in the Thai green curry paste and fry for 1 minute to release its oils and deepen the flavour.
Pour in the coconut milk and fish stock, stir until smooth and bring to a gentle simmer. Keep the heat moderate so the coconut milk doesn’t split.
Add the bamboo shoots, courgette, red pepper and tenderstem broccoli. Simmer gently for 6 minutes until the vegetables are just tender but still have a bit of bite.
Slide in the raw king prawns and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the prawns have turned opaque and are just cooked through.
Stir in the gluten-free fish sauce, light brown sugar and lime juice. Taste and adjust with a little sea salt if needed; simmer for 30 seconds to marry the flavours.
Remove from the heat, stir in the chopped fresh coriander and leave to rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Use full-fat coconut milk for a silky sauce; if it looks separated, whisk gently back together off the heat.
- Pat prawns dry before cooking to ensure they sear and don’t release too much water into the sauce.
- Make the curry base (onion, garlic, ginger, paste) a few hours ahead and refrigerate — finish with coconut milk, veg and prawns when ready.
- Leftovers: cool quickly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the hob to avoid breaking the coconut emulsion.
- If you like more heat, add a chopped bird’s-eye chilli with the garlic, or a teaspoon of the curry paste extra.
Substitutions
raw king prawns, shelled and deveined → firm white fish fillets such as cod or pollock, cut into 3cm pieces — add in the same step but simmer 4–5 minutes until cooked
Stays closecourgette → aubergine, cut into 2cm pieces — will absorb more sauce and give a softer texture
Noticeably differentgluten-free fish sauce → gluten-free tamari plus a squeeze more lime (equal quantity) — savoury note shifts slightly without fishy umami
Noticeably differentcoconut milk → light coconut milk for fewer calories — sauce will be thinner and less rich
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 440
- Calories
- 31 g
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbs
- 27 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 1100 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use frozen prawns?
Yes — fully thaw and pat dry before cooking. If still slightly frozen they will release water and dilute the sauce.
How do I make this spicier or milder?
For more heat add a chopped bird’s-eye chilli or an extra tablespoon of curry paste. To mellow it, stir in a little more coconut milk or a pinch more sugar.
Can I make the curry ahead?
You can make the base (onion, garlic, ginger, paste and coconut milk) a few hours ahead and refrigerate. Add delicate vegetables and prawns just before serving.
What should I serve with this?
Steamed jasmine rice or sticky rice work best. For a lower-carb option serve with cauliflower rice or shredded salad leaves.
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