Grilled Prawns with Tamarind Sauce

Ingredients for Grilled Prawns with Tamarind Sauce

• 675g jumbo (8 to 12 per lb) prawns

• 3 teaspoons sea salt dissolved in 1325ml water

• 1 tablespoon tamarind from a pliable block

• 80ml water

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

• 1 tablespoon chopped cleaned fresh coriander roots and/or stems, pounded to a paste

• 1 tablespoon minced garlic

• 1 tablespoon Sriracha or other Asian hot chilli sauce

• 1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar, or to taste

• 1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce (preferably Thai naam pla), or to taste

• Garnish: 2 fresh serrano or jalapeño chillies, seeded, halved lengthwise, and finely julienned crosswise

• and fresh coriander sprigs

How to make Grilled Prawns with Tamarind Sauce

Prepare grill for cooking.

Soak prawns (still in shells) in salt water 5 minutes, then rinse well in a colander.

Place tamarind in a bowl with water and rub with your fingers to dissolve pulp. Pour through a sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids.

Heat oil in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook coriander paste and garlic, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in hot sauce, 3 tablespoons tamarind juice, palm sugar, and fish sauce. Simmer until thickened to consistency of light syrup, about 3 minutes.

Snip shells of prawns with scissors down centre of back, from wide end to second-to-last tail section. Butterfly prawns in their shells, making a deep incision along length of back where shells are cut, and devein.

Grill prawns on their sides on an oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until shells are pink and slightly charred and prawns are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, grill prawns in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderate heat.)

Spoon tamarind sauce over prawns (still in shells) in a serving dish.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.