Goan chicken and prawn satay curry that hits every flavour note

This creamy, spicy and deeply moreish curry blends coastal Indian flavours with Southeast Asian influences – think coconut milk, peanut butter and umami galore

Feel like you’re at the beach with this bright and spicy curry (Sam Folan)

“This recipe pays homage to the Indian coastline, and Malaysia. This curry is aromatic, sweet, creamy, spicy and moreish,” says food writer and restaurateur Mehak Kansal.

“Goan influences can be seen in the spices, and also the richness of the peanut butter, soy sauce and coconut milk.”

Goan chicken and prawn satay curry

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil or rapeseed oil

1 large onion, diced

1 tbsp ginger purée

1 tbsp garlic purée

2-3 red chillies, chopped

500g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized chunks

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground turmeric

1-2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

100g green beans, trimmed and roughly chopped

400g can extra-rich coconut milk

2-3 tbsp soft light brown sugar

2 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

200g raw king (jumbo) prawns, peeled, deveined and butterflied

Salt

Method:

Mehak Kansal’s debut cookbook ‘Bindas’ is packed with bold, cross-cultural recipes that celebrate flavour, freedom and finding your voice through food (Murdoch Books)

1. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chillies, and cook for five to eight minutes until caramelised and soft. Add the chicken and spices, and cook for another eight to 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the peanut butter, green beans, coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil, and season with a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a slow boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, bubbling gently, for eight minutes to reduce.

3. Once the sauce has thickened and reduced, add the prawns and cook for one minute until they are pink and cooked through.

4. Taste and adjust the sugar, salt and soy sauce as needed until that umami note sings.

5. Garnish with chopped coriander and red chilli, and serve.

Recipe from ‘Bindas: Comfort Food with an Indian Soul’ by Mehak Kansal (Murdoch Books, £23).