BARBECUED ASIAN PRAWNS WITH NOODLE SALAD

We all know that Aussies love to ‘throw a shrimp on the barbie’. In this case it’s king prawns and they are done with an Asian honey marinade. This is a perfect dish to kick off an afternoon barbecue with friends. This is my type of food — simple, tasty and shared.

PREPARATION TIME: 15 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 5 MINUTES

SERVES: 4

WHAT’S IN IT?

12 large raw king prawns (shrimp) or other prawns, peeled and deveined, tails left intact

vegetable oil, for cooking

¹/₄ cup fried shallots (see note)

1 long red chilli, halved, seeds removed and thinly sliced

Marinade:

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

2 cm (³/₄ inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

1 bird’s eye chilli, roughly chopped

1 long red chilli, roughly chopped

¹/₂ cup coriander (cilantro), a mix of roots, stems and leaves, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon light soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon honey

Dressing:

1 bird’s eye chilli, sliced

2 cm (³/₄ inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely diced

2 tablespoons light soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons palm sugar (jaggery)

juice of ¹/₂ a lime

Salad:

150 g (5¹/₂ oz) vermicelli rice noodles, cut in half with a pair of kitchen scissors

vegetable oil, for drizzling

1 cup coriander (cilantro) leaves

1 cup Thai basil leaves, torn if large

¹/₂ cup mint leaves, torn if large

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:

1.   To make the marinade, using a mortar and pestle (or a stick blender) pound the garlic, ginger, chillies and coriander until you have a rough paste. Add the soy, mirin, sesame oil and work in well to combine — you want to mash all the flavours out of the ingredients. Stir in the honey.

2.   Place the prawns and marinade in a large bowl and toss to coat well. Set aside and allow to marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the salad.

3.   For the salad dressing combine all ingredients in a jar, seal and shake to combine well. Season to taste and set aside.

4.   Place the vermicelli noodles in a heatproof bowl, then pour over enough boiling water to cover and stand for 2 minutes. Drain, then drizzle a little vegetable oil on noodles, separating them so they don’t clump together.

5.   Heat a barbecue flatplate on high and lightly oil the plate. Thread 3 prawns each onto the skewers and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side or until just cooked.

6.   Place herbs and noodles in a bowl and pour over just enough dressing to coat the salad lightly — you may not need it all. Toss and place on a serving platter. Top with the prawns, scatter with fried shallots and sliced red chilli. Alternatively, you can plate as individual serves.

NOTE:

• Fried shallots can be purchased at your local Asian supermarket, but you could also fry your own if you have time. These are a great pantry staple — I use them to add crunch to stir fries and salads.