michelle picker cooks

Here’s a really quick and easy meal which is still luxurious and impressive.

From a can of coconut milk take the thick coconut cream and melt it in a wide saucepan over moderate heat. Add 1 tablespoon of Thai roasted chilli paste in soya oil (you will find this at any Asian store which sells Thai food products) and stir to combine. Add 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass (either bruised or finely diced if you don’t mind the texture), 2 kaffir lime leaves and 1 tablespoon of Thai fish sauce. Simmer until thickened a little. You can set this sauce aside while you cook any other dishes for this meal. When the rest of your meal is nearly ready, reheat the sauce and add 500g (17½ oz) of fresh scallops. Allow them to just cook through so that they remain soft and plump. Turn off the heat and stir in a generous handful of fresh basil leaves.