Neil Perry's Sri Lankan prawn curry with coconut pol sambol

This dish looks more complicated than it is. To ease stress levels, think of it at as four small recipes. The curry powder is easy to assemble, likewise the sauce and sambal, and the results speak for themselves. It's also perfectly matched to steamed rice to take the pressure off there. Any seafood rocks in the curry but the flavours also work well with chicken. That requires a little more cooking: use thigh, as it's much more succulent than breast in these circumstances, and yes, preferably skin-on. All the flavour is in the skin.

Serves 4, shared

20 large raw king prawns, peeled with tails left on, deveined

1 bunch snake beans, cut into 7cm pieces

SRI LANKAN FISH CURRY POWDER

1 tsp black peppercorns

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 cinnamon stick

1 tsp dill seeds

1 tsp ground turmeric

POL SAMBOL

1 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup coconut milk

½ tsp black peppercorns

1 tbsp Maldive fish flakes (available from Sri Lankan and Indian food stores)

½ small red onion, finely diced

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp smoked hot paprika

juice of 1 lime

1 tsp sea salt

SRI LANKAN CURRY SAUCE

20ml vegetable oil

1 small brown onion, finely diced

1 tsp sea salt

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 small green chilli, halved lengthways, then thinly sliced

1 lemongrass stem, finely sliced

2 tbsp Sri Lankan fish curry powder

1 sprig fresh curry leaves, leaves picked, plus extra sprigs to serve (optional)

1 tbsp tamarind purée

​ 250ml coconut cream

juice of 1 lime

1. For the Sri Lankan curry power, lightly toast the whole spices and grind to a fine powder, then add the turmeric.

2. For the coconut pol sambol, soak the desiccated coconut in the coconut milk and leave for 30 minutes. Finely grind the peppercorns and Maldive fish flakes to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. Mix ingredients together, adding lime juice a little at a time until flavour is balanced.

3. For the Sri Lankan curry sauce, place the oil into a heavy-based saucepan and add the onions and sea salt and cook at medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and chillies and cook for a further 5 minutes. Next add the lemongrass and fish curry powder and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the curry leaves, tamarind purée and coconut cream, simmer for 2 minutes.

4. Add prawns and snake beans. Bring to just below the boil, allow to heat to gently cook the prawns, about 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Add a tablespoon or two of water if needed. Remove from heat, cover and stand for 5 minutes, then season to taste and add the remaining lime juice if needed, plus extra curry sprigs if using.

5. Top curry with sambol and serve with rice pilaf.

RICE PILAF

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp unsalted butter

½ small brown onion, finely diced

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups basmati rice, washed

sea salt

750ml quality chicken stock

2 tbsp coriander leaves, roughly chopped, to serve

1. Add oil and butter to a heavybased pot with tight-fitting lid over a medium heat. When foaming add the onion and garlic and fry gently until soft.

2. Add the rice and a pinch of salt and fry until the rice is coated and slightly scorched, about 2 minutes. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, reduce to simmer and place the lid on. Simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and rest for 10 minutes. Serve sprinkled with coriander leaves.

Styling, Hannah Meppem. Food preparation, Nick Banbury.