Fitness coach and author Joe Wicks has shared a Thai red curry recipe featuring prawns and aubergine that promises a warming, flavour-packed meal suitable for busy weeknights. The dish combines creamy coconut milk, fragrant spices, and juicy prawns, and can be prepared with store-cupboard staples.
A Simple Yet Flavourful Curry for Busy Evenings
Wicks emphasises the ease of this recipe, noting that it relies on ingredients often kept at home. “I always make sure I’ve got tinned coconut milk and curry pastes in the cupboard so I can rustle this up,” he said. The recipe also offers flexibility, as Wicks mentions it works equally well with Thai green curry paste.
The dish is designed to feel like a treat while remaining straightforward to cook after a long day. For those following a vegetarian diet, the recipe suggests swapping prawns for tofu cubes and using soy sauce instead of fish sauce, maintaining the flavour with a plant-based twist.
Ingredients and Preparation Steps
The recipe calls for two aubergines cut into batons, two tablespoons of olive oil, one diced onion, two minced garlic cloves, three tablespoons of Thai red curry paste, a 400ml tin of coconut milk, one tablespoon of fish sauce or light soy sauce, one teaspoon of honey, juice of one lime, 300g of raw peeled king prawns, 120g of baby spinach, salt, pepper, Thai basil leaves, and jasmine rice to serve.
To begin, preheat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/gas mark 7) and line two baking trays. Toss the aubergine pieces with one tablespoon of olive oil, season well, and roast for around 30 minutes, turning halfway, until soft and golden.
Cooking the Curry Base and Finishing Touches
While the aubergine roasts, heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until softened, then stir in the garlic. Add the curry paste and cook briefly before pouring in the coconut milk. Let the mixture bubble for a few minutes until it thickens slightly, creating a rich, creamy base.
Lower the heat and stir in the fish sauce (or soy), honey, and lime juice, then add the prawns. Simmer for 5-6 minutes until the prawns are pink and cooked through. Add the roasted aubergine and spinach, cooking for another couple of minutes until the spinach has wilted. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed, then serve over fluffy jasmine rice with a scattering of Thai basil on top.
The recipe is featured in Wicks' book “Healthy Start,” which is described as full of easy-to-prepare, delicious family meals that help save time and reduce stress. The book is currently available at a 50% discount on Amazon, priced at £11.
