Authentic Southeast Asian Coconut Lemongrass Broth with Seafood

INGREDIENTS

For the Sauce: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced ¼ teaspoon turmeric 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 2 tablespoons green curry paste 2 cups water 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, coarsely chopped 2 fresh kaffir lime leaves 1 14‑ounce can unsweetened coconut milk Salt — to taste For the Seafood and Vegetables: 12 sea scallops 12 colossal shrimp Salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons olive oil One 1‑pound bunch asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise 2 organic carrots, peeled, thinly sliced 4 ounces snow peas, stringed Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

PREPARATION:

To make the Sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8 minutes or until soft.  Stir in the turmeric.  Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the green curry paste and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes. 
2. Add the water, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, and bring to a boil over high heat.  Add the coconut milk. Return to a boil over high heat.  Decrease the heat to medium and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes or until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.  
3. Strain the sauce through a fine meshed sieve and return the sauce to the saucepan. Discard the solids in the sieve. You will have about 2 ½ cups of sauce. Season the sauce to taste with salt.  Cover and keep the sauce warm.

To prepare the Seafood and Vegetables:

1. Place a large non stick sauté pan over high heat and allow the pan to get very hot for 2 to 3 minutes.  Sprinkle the scallops and shrimp with salt and pepper.  Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan.  
2. Place the scallops in the hot pan and fry until dark golden brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the scallops over and fry until dark golden brown on the bottom and just cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat.
3. Meanwhile, heat another large sauté pan over high heat until it is very hot. Add 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil to the hot pan.  Add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Transfer the shrimp to the same pan with the scallops.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil to the same pan that was used to cook the shrimp. Return the pan over high heat. 
4. Add the asparagus, carrots and snow peas, and stir-fry for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender.  Divide the vegetables among 4 large serving bowls.  Divide the shrimp and scallops among the serving bowls.  Ladle the broth over the vegetables and seafood.  Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.

This recipe appears in: Asian