Quick and easy salsa cruda

It's summer, and I love hot, slightly sweet and fruity stuff in this weather. This quick and easy salsa cruda ('raw sauce') takes only a few minutes to make - although tastes better the longer you leave it.

Three tomatoes, chopped roughly
Half a sweet pointed red pepper, chopped roughly
Half a red onion, chopped roughly
1 red chilli, de-seeded and veined, finely chopped
splash of orange juice
1 tbs tomato pureé
1 tsp raw cane sugar
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp oregano

Put all the ingredients in a blender, and pulse a few times. You don't want pureé, so not too much. If you've got some handy, add some fresh coriander ripped up both before and after pulsing in the blender. It'll taste better after a couple of hours in the fridge (get it out half an hour before serving though). Will keep ok for a few days. It's lovely spooned over some pan-fried fillets of any firm, meaty fish.

Thai prawn curry

This is probably completely inauthentic, but it's how I make it, and I like it. It's all about the lime, chilli, coriander and the sweetness working together. Serves two.

1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, sliced
half a head of brocolli, chopped
1 chilli, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed and chopped
1 thumb-sized piece of root ginger

100g creamed coconut block, grated
1 heaped tsp unrefined cane sugar
1 stick lemon grass, bruised
3 kiffir lime leaves
dash of fish sauce
dash of sweet chilli sauce
juice of a lime
handful of fresh coriander, torn up
2 tbs groundnut oil
200g raw prawns, butterflied
150g rice

Stir the coconut into 200ml of boiling water. Add the lemon grass, lime leaves and sugar, and stir well.
Heat the oil in a wok. Add the onion and cook stirring until starting to colour. Add the pepper, then the chilli, garlic and ginger. Cook for a minute or so, stirring, then add the brocolli.
Cook for another thirty seconds or so, then pour in the coconut mixture. Turn down to a medium heat, and simmer for five minutes. Add the fish sauce, sweet chilli sauce and lime juice, and check for seasoning. You want to balance the sweetness, the lime and the chilli heat.
Add the prawns and coriander, turn up the heat and stir well, cooking until the prawns are just done. Don't overcook - don't let the prawns go hard and rubbery, you want them still sweet and juicy.
Meanwhile, cook some fragrant rice (I prefer to steam it), and serve the lot with a chilled Viognier (or Chardonnay/Viognier) or Gewurztraminer.