Prawns, vegetables and rice - for two

I love to cook!  Utilising the freshest ingredients I can find.  Saturday night I whipped up a quick meal of stir-fried seasonal vegetables and prawns, with steamed rice

There is much pleasure in making your own aromatic paste, which I will feature in another post.  You make the paste as spicy or as mild as you like.  This one is quite mild, making it suitable for a variety of dishes.

Aromatic paste; ginger, galangal, lemongrass, chilli, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, shrimp paste

Gently stir-fry 1 tablespoon of paste in a little vegetable, sesame and peanut oil until aromatic.  I find the combination of oils lends a subtle under taste to the dish.

Seasonal vegetables

Add about 200 grams of seasonal vegetables.  I like to use what is in season as it is usually the most economical.  I do like to grow my own, but in Canberra, our growing season is short, and September is the leanest month for any home-harvest.  During the late spring and summer months, I am sure to be using my own fresh produce.  For now, bought from my local grocer, green beans, bok choi and asparagus.

Stir fry for a few minutes, with a quarter of a cup of fish stock (I just use a powdered, instant fish stock), and a splash or two of fish sauce.

Crystal Bay prawns

I do prefer to use green prawns, and cook them myself, but it is not always possible.  My local fishmonger does a marvellous job of supplying fresh and tasty seafood to an inland town.  Crystal Bay prawns are very juicy and sweet.  I peeled and deveined 15 of these beauties, leaving the tails intact, adding to the stir-fry for a few minutes until heated through.

Prawns, vegetables and rice - for two

Dish up a generous serving of steamed rice, and spoon on the stir-fried prawns with vegetables.  Very tasty, nutritious, and good value, with a minimum amount of fuss and cooking time - dinner on the table in 20 minutes.