Rinse all seafood under cold water. Pat scallops, prawns, fish chunks and squid dry with paper towels. Scrub mussels and discard any that remain open after a firm tap. Score squid rings lightly to prevent curling. Keep seafood chilled until ready to add.

Prepare aromatics: peel shallots and garlic. Slice lemongrass into 2–3 cm pieces using only the tender inner white part. Peel and roughly chop turmeric, galangal, and ginger. Remove stems from chilies if desired for less heat.

Make spice paste (bumbu)

In a small skillet or pan, heat 1 tbs neutral oil over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, turmeric, galangal, ginger, lemongrass pieces, chilies and shrimp paste (if using). Sauté for 2–3 minutes until fragrant but not browned to reduce raw sharpness and help blending.

Transfer sautéed aromatics to a food processor or blender. Add ground coriander and 1 tbs oil. Blend to a smooth paste, adding a tablespoon of water or coconut milk if needed to move the blender. Scrape down the sides and continue until evenly combined. Set the paste aside.

Build the gulai (sauce)

In a large, wide pot or deep skillet, warm 1 tbs oil over medium heat. Add the spice paste and sauté, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes until the paste becomes fragrant and the oil separates slightly. This blooms the spices and removes rawness.

Pour in 400 ml of the coconut milk and 250 ml water or light fish stock, stirring to combine and dissolve the paste into the liquid. Add the kaffir lime leaves and bay leaf (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer — do not boil vigorously to prevent coconut milk from splitting.

Stir in tamarind paste, palm sugar and fish sauce. Taste and adjust balance: it should be tangy, slightly sweet, and salty. Add additional tamarind (1 tsp at a time) or sugar to reach a balanced flavor.

Cook seafood

Add the firm fish chunks first: gently submerge them in the simmering gulai and cook for 3–4 minutes until they are nearly cooked through.

Add the prawns and scallops to the simmer. Continue simmering gently for 2 minutes.

Add the squid rings and mussels. Cover the pot and simmer for another 3–4 minutes until mussels open (discard any unopened) and squid is tender. Total seafood cooking time should be short (6–10 minutes) to keep textures tender.

Pour in the remaining 200 ml coconut milk during the last 1–2 minutes of cooking and gently stir to incorporate. Warm through but avoid boiling. Finish with a final quick taste and adjust seasoning with salt or fish sauce as needed.

Finish & serve

Remove from heat. Stir in chopped cilantro and basil leaves. Let the gulai rest for 2 minutes to marry flavors.

Ladle the Abundance of Seafood Gulai into shallow bowls. Sprinkle fried shallots and chopped green chilies if using. Serve with lime wedges on the side and steamed rice or fragrant jasmine rice.