This prawn Pad Nam Prik Pao is my new favourite thing. A quick and simple Thai prawn stir fry that you can whip up in minutes, making it perfect for a healthy, exciting midweek meal or an easy weekend treat.
Pad Prik Pao is a Thai chilli paste that’s loaded with roasted red chillis, shallots, garlic and a little shrimp paste. It’s sweet, spicy and delicious. I’ve mixed it with a little soy sauce in this recipe, giving the Pad Nam Prik Pao a salty edge that’s full of umami goodness.
To make this Thai prawn stir fry extra special, I sourced some really delicious prawns. If you can get your hands on any, then Argentinian shrimp are completely delicious! They’re big, juicy and filled the kitchen with the tastiest shellfish smell. I used these ones and they tasted superb! Defrost and drain them well first. Pad Nam Prik Pao is very versatile though, so If you don’t fancy prawns then you could swap them out for chicken, or try it with tofu instead.
English asparagus season is back which is a real treat and asparagus goes perfectly with shellfish, so combining it with these fiery Thai prawns is basically food heaven! If you love asparagus as much as me be sure to try this wonderful asparagus frittata
Prawn Pad Nam Prik Pao
Ingredients
Pad Nam Prik Pao sauce
- 2 tbsp Thai chilli paste
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp water
Other ingredients
- 1 tbsp sunflower/veg oil
- 1 clove garlic sliced
- 2 spring onions sliced into 1cm lengths
- 1 bunch asparagus spears sliced into 1.5" pieces
- 250 g Large prawns deveined
- 2-3 Thai chillis (to taste) finely sliced
- 1/2 red pepper sliced
- 1 handful wild garlic leaves
- To garnish Thai Basil leaves & chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Mix together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large frying pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and allow to colour. Turn up heat to med-high and add spring onions & asparagus, cook for 1 min. Add prawns & stir-fry for 1 min.
- Next add peppers & chilli, then reserved sauce. Cook for 1 min, then switch off heat. Stir through wild garlic until wilted. Divide between two warm bowls. Garnish with Basil & Peanuts.
When is asparagus season? Here in the UK the English asparagus season traditionally kicks off on St George’s Day (23rd April|), but with the climate being the way it is, the actual harvesting season seems to be creeping a little earlier.
