Thai Shellfish Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

* 350 g/12 oz raw prawns

* 350 g/12 oz firm white fish, such as monkfish, cod or haddock

* 175 g/6 oz small squid rings

* 1 tbsp lime juice

* 450 g/1 lb live mussels

* 400 ml/15 fl oz coconut oil

* 1 tbsp ground oil

* 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste

* 1 lemon grass stalk, bruised

* 3 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded

* 2 tbsp Thai fish sauce

* salt and freshly ground black pepper

* fresh coriander leaves, to garnish

Procedure:

Peel the prawns. Using a sharp knife, remove the black vein along the back

of the prawns. Pat dry with absorbent kitchen paper and reserve.

Skin the fish, pat dry and cut into 2.5 cm/1 inch chunks. Place in a bowl with

the prawns and the squid rings. Sprinkle with the lime juice and reserve.

Scrub the mussels, removing their beards and any barnacles. Discard

any mussels that are open, damaged or that do not close when tapped.

place in a large saucepan and add 150 ml/1/4 pint of the coconut milk

Cover, bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes, or until the

mussels open, shaking the saucepan occasionally. Lift out the mussels,

discarding any unopened ones, strain the liquid through a muslin-lined

sieve and reserve.

Rinse and dry the saucepan. Heat the groundnut oil, add the curry paste

and cook for 1 minute, stirring all the time. Add the lemon grass, lime

leaves, fish sauce and pour in both the strained and the remaining

coconut milk. Bring the contents of the saucepan to a very gentle simmer.

Add the fish mixture to the saucepan and simmer for 2-3 minutes or until

just cooked. Stir in the mussels, with or without their shells as preferred.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, then garnish with coriander leaves.

ladle into warmed bowls and serve immediately.