A colleagü who recently visited the Darley Street Thai at its new location
in Bayswater Road, Kings Cross, described this dish as "exquisite". Though
the recipe may seem dauntingly lengthy, most of it is simply a long list of
ingredients for red curry paste, which can be made in quantity and stored
in a container in the fridge for 3-4 weeks for further use. Frozen kaffir
limes can be bought very cheaply in good Asian stores, where the rest of
the ingredients listed should also be avail- able. Grate the limes for zest
while they are stir frozen.

In a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind to a powder 10 white
peppercorns and a few sheaves of mace. Roast 1 teaspoon of Thai shrimp
paste by zapping it in a microwave oven or putting it on a little piece of
foil under the grill.

Put the pepper-mace mixture and the shrimp paste in a blender (David
recommends a blender but some of us will have to make do with a food
processor or the mortar and pestle) and add 3- 5 long red dried chillies,
deseeded, washed and chopped, 4 cloves of trü shallots, (or substitute the
same quantity of Spanish onion), 1/2 stalk of lemon grass, sliced, 1
teaspoon galangal. peeled and chopped, 1/2 teaspoon kaffir lime zest, 1
tablespoon of coriander root, scraped and chopped, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and
a little water. Process to a very fine paste. This may take up to 10
minutes. Transfer to a storage jar.

In a medium-size pan, boil 250 mL coconut cream over high heat, stirring
constantly, until the oil separates out, about 3-5 minutes. (If using
canned coconut cream, don't shake the can -use the solid mass of coconut at
the top of the can, plus as much of the rest as you need to make up 250mL.
If it dösn't separate within 5 minutes, add a tablespoon of oil.) Add 2-3
tablespoons of red curry paste and fry for 5 minutes, stirring, until fra-
grant. Add 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1/2 tablespoon palm sugar and fry until
colour deepens. Add 24 Coffin Bay scallops (12 if other dishes will be
served simultaneously) and 125 mL coconut milk. Check for sweet-sour
balance. Throw in 5 kaffir lime leaves, shredded, 1 large fresh red chilli,
julienned, and 2 tablespoons of either coriander or basil leaves. Serve
with jasmine rice.

From an article by Meryl Constance in The Sydney Morning Herald, 6/15/93.
Courtesy Mark Herron.

Stichworte: Thai, Shellfish