Lobster choo chee curry

This luxurious version of the classic choo chee curry comes courtesy of Yanavit Theerasomboonkun, the Thai Chef de Cuisine of Shangri-La Bangkok. If you don't have a lobster on hand, feel free to substitute with prawns or any of your favourite seafood!

Credit: Supplied: Shangri-la Bangkok

• serves

  4-6

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 (700 g) medium green lobster
• Oil, for deep frying
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• 3 eggs. beaten

Choo chee curry sauce

• 25 g choo chee red curry paste
• 10 g Thai fermented shrimp paste
• 220 g thick coconut milk, plus extra for garnish (see note)
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 10 g palm sugar, grated
• ½ tsp sugar
• 4-5 makrut lime leaves, chopped, plus extra julienned to garnish
• ½ cup fresh cumin leaves (optional)
• Finely sliced red chilli, to garnish

Instructions

1. Remove the lobster meat from the shell, keeping the head and shell intact for presentation. Cut the lobster flesh into large pieces Heat the deep-frying oil in a large wok or pot set over high heat.
   
2. Dredge the lobster in the flour, then the egg, then the flour again to make a coating. Shake off the excess gently, before lowering it into the hot oil carefully, and deep-frying for 5-10 minutes or until the lobster is golden and cooked through. Remove the lobster from the oil and set aside to drain. Deep-fry the head and shell in the oil until bright red and cooked.
   
3. Meanwhile, mix the curry paste and shrimp paste to combine. Heat half the coconut milk in a wok or wide saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to sizzle around the edges, stir through the curry paste mixture to combine. Once this mixture starts to warm, start adding the remaining coconut milk, a third at a time, stirring thoroughly each time to prevent it from splitting too much.
   
4. Taste, and season with the chicken bouillon powder, fish sauce, palm sugar and sugar. The sauce should be a little on the sweet side. Stir through the makrut lime leaves.
   
5. Once the sauce is completely heated through, stir through the cumin leaves until wilted (if using). Plate the dish by adding a little of the curry sauce to the plate, then placing the head and fried lobster meat on top, before topping with a final draping of the sauce. Garnish with julienned makrut leaves and chilli. Serve any remaining curry sauce on the side.

Note:

• To make the thick coconut milk, chef Yanavit simmers coconut milk over a medium heat in a wok or wide pan for about 30 minutes, until the oil begins to split from the milk.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.