This dish is called after the main ingredient : "kung maenam", meaning river prawns. Popular dish in Bangkok, it's not much known here, in Koh Samui. Give it a try, it's delicious!
Serves 2
Curry paste
5 dry spur chilies
1 teaspoon coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1 teaspoon white peppercorn 3 garlic cloves 1 lemongrass stalk, chopped 10 grams galangal, chopped 3 shallots 1 teaspoon kaffir lime zest, chopped 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
Rehydrate chilies in hot water for about 5-10 minutes. Then drain and chop roughly. Add little by little chilies and other ingredients into a stone mortar (it's easier to pound if you add the ingredients little by little). Pound until smooth.
Curry sauce
2 river prawns, big size
1 tablespoon shrimp oil (or vegetable oil)
100 g calamari, small diced
125 g coconut cream
100 ml vegetable stock or shrimp stock
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
To garnish : kaffir lime leaf, very thinly sliced
Prepare the prawns : make a longitudinal incision on the back of the prawns and remove the flesh from the shells. Chop the flesh and mix with 1 tablespoon shrimp oil. Place the flesh back in the shells. Steam the prawns for about 8 minutes or until the flesh is cooked.
In a sauce pan, on medium heat, dissolve the curry paste in 2 tablespoons of coconut cream. Then add calamari, the rest of the cream, stock and seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes.
Transfer the prawns on a serving plate. Pour the sauce over the prawns. Garnish with sliced kaffir lime leaf.