Ingredients
16 extra large green king prawns in shells, heads and tails on
60ml fish sauce
60ml extra virgin olive oil
4 Tbsp coconut cream
Steamed rice, to serve
Coriander leaves and fried shallots, to garnish
Cucumber relish
4 Tbsp caster sugar
100ml water
1 tsp white peppercorns
1 clove garlic
1/2 bunch coriander, leaves picked and chopped and roots cleaned
1/2 tsp sea-salt flakes
3 long green chillies, finely sliced
2 red bullet chillies
50ml fish sauce
Juice of 3 limes
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
2 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled in strips and cut into small dice (5mm)
Method
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To make cucumber relish, add the water and sugar to a small saucepan and put over low heat until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
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Use a mortar and pestle to ground peppercorns, then pound in the garlic and coriander roots. Add salt, grind for a couple of minutes, then add chilli and grind into a smooth paste.
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Transfer to a bowl and stir through sugar water, fish sauce, lime juice, coriander leaves, kaffir lime leaves and cucumber. Set aside.
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Prepare prawns one at a time (see Cook's tip below). With a small, sharp knife, make an incision from just below the head down to tail without cutting all the way through, leaving head and tail intact and mid-section shell on. Prise open shell a little to devein the prawn. Repeat for remaining prawns.
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Lay prawns in a flat dish and splash fish sauce over, leaving to marinate for about 10-15 minutes.
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Preheat barbecue plate or griddle plate on medium heat. Brush each prawn with a little olive oil. Grill prawns on hot plate for about 4 minutes, basting with coconut cream. Turn over prawns and cool for another minute or so.
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Pile prawns on steamed rice, top with cucumber relish, then garnish with shallots and coriander. Serve.
Cook's Tip
Preparing your prawns using the method in Step 4 means you devein them but retain the shell, so the marinade penetrates the flesh but the shell protects and keeps it moist while cooking. Note you're not butterflying the prawns.
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