Mango adds the wow factor

I'm not quite sure why, but I've recently become obsessed with making curries. Sure I've got the new cook book, but it's not the only one I've been foraging through for ideas. Along with that new territory, I'm starting to acquire a taste for adding chilli to food and I'm needing to add more and more chilli to the curries to get that flavour kick. After years of not believing it, it seems it is true that you can learn to love chilli!

The amazing part of this recipe is the surprising sweet chunks mango that you obtain in the occasional mouthful amongst the fleshy prawns and smooth, silky coconut undertones.

• Nigella Lawson's Red Prawn and Mango Curry from Nigella Express
• Nigella Lawson's Wasabi Lime Dressing from Nigella Express on spinach and avocado salad

Wok oil is heated in a saucepan, then chopped spring onion and red Thai curry paste is added.

Coconut milk, chicken stock and fish sauce are added and brought to the boil.

Although it's high up om my list of un-favourite cooking chores to do, this recipe requires peeled pumpkin and sweet potato - and it's one of the few times I think it's worth the annoyance. I can feel a grumpy moment coming on everytime I have to peel a pumpkin, but I have recently bought a new industrial-strength potato peeler which makes light work of the pumpkin skin. The chopped sweet potato and pumpkin are added and simmered until softened.


While this was cooking away, I made my absolutely favourite salad dressing to go on some simple spinach leaves with scooped pieces of avocado. Lime juice, groundnut oil (I use extra virgin olive oil), wasabi paste and sea salt. I've lost count of how many times I've prepared this and it's versatility on any salad base is perfect. Another example of my need for a chilli fix!


Just as we're about to eat, I add the prawns to the curry and the chopped pieces of mango. There was a time in my childhood where I could've sworn that if I was only allowed to eat one food item for the rest of my life, it'd be mango. Although I'm not quite as fanatical these days, I love gorging on them in summer.


Garnish with coriander, serve with rice (and the salad in my case) and feast away. We bought a new Samsung fridge recently (woohoo for more fridge space!) which arrived just as I was ladling this curry onto the plates, and the delivery men caught a glimpse and said they wished they'd been invited for lunch!