Ingredients

500g pumpkin
4 tb sp lime juice
8 medium king prawns
2 onions, chopped
1 small red chili, finely chopped
1 stem lemon grass (white part only), chopped
1tsp shrimp paste
1tsp sugar
1+1/2 cups coconut milk
1 tsp tamarind puree
1 cup water
1/2 cup coconut cream
1 tb sp fish sauce
2 tb sp fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish

Method

Peel pumpkin and scoop out seeds. Cut the pumpkin into cubes and combine
with half of the lime juice in a medium bowl. Remove heads from the prawns,
peel and de vein prawns.

Process the onions, chili, chopped lemon grass, shrimp paste, sugar and about
1/2 cup of the coconut milk in a food processor until a paste forms.

Combine the paste with the remaining coconut milk, tamarind puree and water
in a large pan and stir until smooth. Add the pumpkin with the lime juice to
the pan, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about
10 minutes or until the pumpkin is just tender.

Add the raw prawns and the coconut cream, simmer for 3 minutes or until the
prawns are just pink and tender. Stir in the fish sauce and the remaining lime
juice and the basil leaves. When ready to serve, pour into warmed bowls and
garnish with extra basil leaves.

(Serves : 4 - 6)