Slightly creamy, spicy and fragrant with kaffir lime leaves, this delicious pasta is an interesting combination of fresh seafood and Italian and Thai flavours.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

100g linguine

1 tablespoon red shallot, peeled and diced

1 small clove of garlic, peeled and grated or very finely chopped

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1.5 teaspoons of tom yum paste

125ml ikan bilis stock or water

3 tablespoons cream or evaporated milk

80g green zucchini, thinly sliced

4 white prawns

4 scallops

10 cherry tomatoes

6 kaffir lime leaves

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon brown sugar

Method:

1. Fill a large saucepan ¾ full with water and salt it well - it should taste like the sea.
2. Bring the water to a boil, then add the linguine, cooking till ‘al dente’ according to package instructions.
3. While the linguine is cooking, quickly make the sauce.
4. Pat the scallops and prawns dry with paper towels then sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a pinch of white pepper.
5. Heat a medium saucepan over high heat, add half the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the scallops, sear for two minutes on one side without moving them, then flip and cook the other side for 30 seconds. Quickly remove from the pan and add the prawns. Turn the heat down to medium.
6. Cook the prawns for 1.5 minutes on each side until opaque and firm, and remove from the pan.
7. Turn the pan to low-medium heat, and add the remaining olive oil. Saute the shallots until fragrant and soft, about 1 and a half minutes.  Add the tom yum paste, garlic and stock and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes.
8. If the pasta is ready, drain it and reserve to add to the sauce.
9. Add the cherry tomatoes and zucchini to the sauce, simmer for 1 minute, then add the cream, kaffir lime leaves, brown sugar and butter. Taste to see if salt is needed and add to your tastes.
10. Turn the heat off, add the pasta and stir to combine. 
11. Divide into two serving plates, and garnish with the cooked seafood.