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Good prawns don’t need much embellishment, but when I’m not warming them through in a pan of flavoured butter, I typically serve them with some sort of good, mayonnaise-based sauce. Homemade mayonnaise is often a good option, as is a top notch Marie Rose Sauce (like Benedicta’s French supermarket Cocktail saucead with Armagnac in, for example) but today? Today we’re taking our inspiration from Thailand with this so simple it’s barely a recipe method for serving Prawns with Thai Red Curry Mayonnaise.
Why Thai red curry paste I hear you ask? Well, because it’s the curry paste you’re most likely to have in your fridge, but in reality this recipe will yield delicious results with any red or yellow Asian-style curry paste. If it cooks well in coconut milk, it will be delicious stirred through good mayonnaise with a spritz of lime, as a general rule (I’ve included some of my favourite curry pastes below!)
How To Make The Perfect Thai Red Curry Mayonnaise Every Time
Obviously because you need a starting off point, I’ve included my favourite ratio of mayonnaise : curry paste : lime juice below, but taste it to see if you need to tweak it as brands of curry paste, and of mayonnaise vary in pungency, creaminess and saltiness. Some rough guidelines:
If your curry paste is overwhelming things too much, add more mayonnaise to dilute the flavour. Most curry pastes taste terrible eaten from the jar / pouch / tub with a spoon, they’re meant to be used as a marinate (so diluted by the flavour of the vegetables or proteins they’re coating) or thinned out with creamy coconut milk. The mayonnaise is playing the role of coconut milk here!
If your mayo tastes a little flat, add more lime juice before you add more curry paste. You can afford to be heavy handed with the lime, but a little curry paste goes a lot further than you think!
Add salt if you want, but you probably don’t need it. Pre-made mayonnaise (and good homemade mayo!) contains salt. Curry paste contains salt. I’m 99% sure you won’t need any salt, but as I mentioned, brands to vary. If you do need more of a savoury flavour in your mayo, add it sparingly. And for an extra layer of flavour, add saltiness with fish sauce rather than sea salt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are your preferred brands of curry paste to make these Prawns with Thai Red Curry Mayonnaise?
I’ve not actually found a supermarket brand of curry paste I like, but I’ve been a devoted fan of Rempapa’s range of South East Asian curry pastes for years. Their exceptional Peranakan Turmeric & Lemongrass Paste (my favourite!) would work best in this recipe, and their Mamak Curry Leaf & Roasted Cumin Paste would be a good shout too.
Can I serve this mayonnaise with other types of seafood? Will it work with chicken?
Yes! This will be delicious with blanched and chilled squid rings, crab, and chilled mussels. And yes, it will also make an excellent chicken sandwich, but if you’re going down this route with any leftovers and your mayo required a little salt to taste, use sea salt instead of fish sauce in this instance.
This simple yet delicious 3-ingredient Thai Red Curry Mayonnaise recipe is perfect for serving with chilled seafood and lime wedges – like shell on King prawns – for a relaxed summer lunchtime treat or starter.
Ingredients
Scale
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
juice of 1/2 lime, plus wedges to serve
12 shell on King prawns, cooked and chilled
Instructions
Stir together the mayonnaise, Thai red curry paste and lime juice to create a smooth paste. Serve with the prawns and the lime wedges.
Notes
Serve alongside two bowls: one empty for the prawn shells, and the other with warm water and a lime slice for finger washing after the prawns have been consumed.
I'm a food writer, professional recipe developer and cookbook author living in the English Countryside. I love creating easy, accessable recipes filled with vibrant world flavours that are manageable on busy weeknights. Simple and delicious dinners, from my kitchen to yours!
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