The Method

Crush together the shallots, chilli, garlic, coriander, ginger and sugar in a mortar with a pestle.

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the crushed spice mixture.
Stir-fry for 1½ minutes on a not too high a heat, just below medium, then add the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce and star anise. Cook gently on a low heat for 10 minutes.

Stir in the prawns and simmer for 2 minutes. Add about 20 mandarin segments (keep the remainder and their juice for another dish) and the spinach, stir very gently and switch off the heat. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

•          2 shallots, finely chopped
•          1 large red chilli, finely chopped (remove the seeds if you don’t like too much heat)
•          1 garlic clove, finely chopped
•          about 8 sprigs of fresh coriander, finely chopped including stalks
•          1 tsp grated fresh ginger
•          1 tsp soft brown sugar
•          1 tsp vegetable oil
•          400ml coconut milk
•          400ml chicken stock
•          1 tbsp fish sauce
•          1 star anis
•          200g raw, peeled king prawns tails
•          300g can of mandarin segments in natural juice
•          a couple of handfuls of spinach, finely shredded
•          lime wedges, to serve

Vicky Bhogal, Flavour (Hodder and Stoughton)

Chef’s tip
You could make this with chicken or with scallops, mackerel or whole prawns with their shells still on. Pak choi or another green leaf, such as kale or cabbage, would work too

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