Friday, July 11, 2008
Grilled Lemongrass Prawns
Ingredients
16 large prawns (king sized, jumbo, tiger), cleaned & shells intact
120 ml fish sauce
30 ml/2 tbsp sugar
15 ml/1 tbsp vegetable or sesame oil
3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed & finely chopped
Serve with
vermicelli noodles
lettuce, shredded
mint leaves
chopped spring onions cooked in oil
Vietnamese dipping sauce (nuoc cham)
crushed peanuts
How to make Grilled Lemongrass Prawns
Serves 4
A simple dish with a Vietnamese spin. Grilled or barbecued is BEST -otherwise, I wouldn't recommend attempting it as its the smoky, fragrant aroma from grilling/bbq that allows the prawns (that's shrimp to you Americans/Canadians) to be so delectable.
Also, the prawns MUST be fresh otherwise it's, quite simply, a failed meal. Anyhow, hope you enjoy it. Dig in!
Using a small sharp knife or scissors (my preferred method), carefully slice open each prawn shell along the back and pull out the black vein. Try to keep the rest of the shell intact. Place the deveined prawns in a shallow dish and set aside.
Put the fish sauce in a small bowl with the sugar, and beat together until the sugar has dissolved completely. Add the oil and lemongrass, then mix well.
Pour the marinade over the prawns, using your fingers to rub it all over the prawns and inside the shells too. Cover the dish with cling wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.
Cook the prawns on a bbq or grill for approx. 2-3 minutes (or to your own liking) each side. Serve on a bed of vermicelli noodles, lettuce and mint leaves. Drizzle with spring onion oil, Vietnamese dipping sauce and crushed peanuts.
