Of all seafood, prawns probably rate as my favourite. I like prawns grilled or flash fried — but best of all in a tasty Thai curry sauce.

The secret to preparing a tasty Thai dish in this country is to cheat a little, by combining 'instant' ingredients with fresh, because it's not always easy to source good, fresh ingredients necessary for a perfect Thai taste.

The two locally available ingredients which make Thai curry easy (and very tasty) are a tin of coconut milk and a packet of Thai curry paste such as A Taste of Thai which you will find at most supermarkets. (It is usually available as green curry or red curry, and both are variants are delicious).

The rest of the fresh ingredients should include fresh, plump prawns, fresh coriander leaves, root ginger and garlic.

Making Thai curry is easy and it doesn't take long at all. In fact, if you prepare steamed rice in advance you only need about 30 minutes in the kitchen.

To serve four portions of Thai curried prawns you will need:

Ingredients:

Instructions:

Heat a little cooking oil in a wok and flash fry the prawns a few times at a time until they start to go pink. Don't overcook!

Remove from pan and set aside.

Slice the onions as follows: first in halves, then the halves into four quarters.

In the same pan in which you fried the prawns, stir-fry the onion pieces very quickly for two minutes.

Add the chilli, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for one minute.

Add the red curry paste and stir for about two minutes.

Add the chicken stock and the coconut milk and bring to the boil.

Boil for one minute then reduce to a simmer.

Add the lemon and prawns and simmer for four minutes.

Taste — you might want to add a little extra salt and or lemon juice.

Serve immediately with steamed rice — Basmati is best.

Wine recommendation:

Mike of Wine Concepts suggests you try the Jordan Rhine Riesling 2007 (Stellenbosch) for R70, to go with this meal.

It has subtle floral notes on the nose with crisp spicy lemon flavours.

To order this, contact Wine Concepts.