Ingredients
| 8 whole shell-on Australian king prawns, the largest you can find | |
| olive oil | |
| grilled lemon, bread, to serve | |
| SHRIMP BUTTER | |
| 125g butter | |
| 30g fermented shrimp paste, broken up (you can find this at your local Asian grocer) | |
| 30ml dark soy | |
| ½ bunch curry leaves |
In the bistro, one of our most popular dishes is prawns with black pepper spaghetti and fermented shrimp paste. This recipe is a simpler adaptation for the home cook while being equally delicious. The whole prawn is edible, and I find the head to be one of the most flavour-packed parts.
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Instructions
| 1. | Using scissors, cut up the centre of the belly of the prawns, turn over and cut up the back then remove half the shell leaving the head attached. |
| 2. | Split the head in half using a sharp knife. |
| 3. | Drizzle the prawns with a little olive oil and season well with sea salt and freshly milled black pepper. |
| 4. | Cook the prawns shell-side down over really hot coals or on a barbecue grill for approximately 1 minute or until just cooked. |
| 5. | Arrange on a plate and cover liberally with the shrimp butter and curry leaves. |
| 6. | Serve with grilled lemon and some bread to mop up the sauce. |
| 7. | SHRIMP BUTTER |
| 8. | Melt a quarter of the butter in a saucepan, add the shrimp paste and fry for 1 minute on a medium heat. |
| 9. | Add the rest of the butter and cook on a low heat until fragrant and the butter has browned a little, about 20 minutes. |
| 10. | Add the curry leaves and cook until crisp, then remove the leaves with a slotted spoon, put onto a paper towel to drain, then season with a little salt. |
| 11. | Move the butter from the heat and keep warm. |
Recipes & food styling Regnar Christensen Photography Florence Charvin