I bought half a kilo of large prawns at the weekend with the intention of enjoying a nice, hot, saucy curry based on the tried and tested Chicken Ceylon recipe I habitually use. (I suppose I really should start calling it a Sri Lankan curry, although, in truth, I wouldn't know what a typical Sri Lankan curry would taste like.)

So after 30 minutes of shelling and de-veining the prawns, I was left with enough large prawns for 2 meals. I think I probably need some practice in the de-veining department as the cooked prawns ended up looking like miniature pink tyres! They tasted and texture was fine, though.

Incidentally, I made a stock for a seafood paella with the shells which I fried off with onion and carrot and boiled for 20 minutes in 500ml water. I blitzed the stock and strained it through a fine sieve and again through a very fine reuseable coffee filter.

Long-time members will be aware of my fondness for this particular recipe and, because my good lady wife is neither fond of prawns nor hot curries, it was going to be mine, all mine!

The only addition I made to the standard recipe was a heaped tablespoon of chilli, coriander and garlic paste which is based on Chewy's recipe and made with a handful of eye-wateringly hot bullet chillies, a large bunch of fresh coriander and half a large bulb of garlic all blitzed together in sunflower oil.

It was really good, and the best news is that I have the other half in the fridge to look forward to.

King refers to a species, not size.

Good work Phil, it