500 ml vegetable stock

500 g monkfish, cut into bite-size chunks

200 g watermelon, cut into chunks

100 g mangetout or green beans

2 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons tamarind paste

1 tablespoon grated palm sugar or soft brown sugar

Lime juice, to taste

Thai basil leaves, to serve

Short-grain rice, to serve

3 dried red chillies, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes

1 red bird’s eye chilli, seeds removed if you prefer it milder

2 cm piece of fresh turmeric, or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

3 garlic cloves

2 lemongrass stalks, white parts only

1 banana shallot

First, make the curry paste. Drain the chillies, then put them in a food processor with the bird’s eye chilli, turmeric, garlic, lemongrass and banana shallot. Blitz to a smooth paste.

Mix the stock and curry paste together in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the monkfish and watermelon chunks and cook for four minutes, or until the monkfish is almost tender.

Add the mangetout or green beans and cook for another two minutes.

Add the fish sauce and tamarind paste, sprinkle in the sugar and stir to combine.

Taste to check the balance, then remove from the heat and finish with lime juice and torn Thai basil.

Serve with short-grain rice and plenty of fresh Thai basil.