Aromatic Tiger Prawns

 

                    There is no elegant way to eat these aromatic prawns - just old them by the tails, pull them off the sticks with your fingers and pop them into your mouth.

Serves 4

• 16 raw tiger prawns (jumbo shrimp) or scampi (extra large shrimp) tails
• 2 ml chili powder
• 5 ml fennel seeds
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1 star anise, broken into segments
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 30 ml sunflower oil
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 30 ml water
• 30 ml rice vinegar
• 30 ml brown sugar
• Salt and pepper
• Lime slices and spring onion, to garnish

1. If you are using whole prawns, remove the heads.
2. Thread the prawns or scampi tails in pairs on 8 wooden cocktail sticks (toothpicks) ; set aside.
3. Heat a frying pan, put in the chili powder, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon stick and dry-fry for 1-2 minutes to release the flavours.
4. Leave to cool, then grind coarsely in a grinder or tip into a mortar and crush with a pestle.
5. Heat the sunflower oil in a shallow pan, add the garlic, ginger and chopped shallot and then fry gently until very lightly coloured ; add the crushed spices and seasoning and cook the mixture gently for 2 minutes, then pour in the water and simmer, stirring, for 5 minutes.
6. Add the rice vinegar and brown sugar, stir until dissolved, then add the prawns or scampi tails ; cook for about 3-5 minutes, until the seafood has turned pink, but it still very juicy.
7. Serve hot, garnished with lime slices and spring onion.

BON APPÉTIT