Hot and Sour Prawns with Dill

, from Issue #78. May, 2018
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Hot and Sour Prawns with Dill

A gorgeous combination of sweet and sour, the heat comes from the chilli, the sour from the tamarind concentrate and freshness from the dill. Top with plenty of crispy fried shallots for the crunch factor.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

16–20 large peeled raw prawns, with tail on
1 lemon
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
sea salt
coconut or vegetable oil
small bunch fresh dill, chopped
crispy fried shallots
2 spring onions, thinly shredded
Sauce
2 red onions, thinly sliced
3 long green chillis left whole
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 large ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup water
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1–2 teaspoons caster sugar

METHOD

Place the prawns in a bowl and squeeze over the lemon juice. Sprinkle over the turmeric, season with salt and turn to coat. Set aside for 5 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large sauté pan and when hot, add the prawns and cook until just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Don’t wash the pan.   

Sauce: Add a little more oil to the pan, if needed, and add the onions, chillis, mustard and sesame seeds, garlic, turmeric and salt. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the onions are soft, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water, if needed.

Add the tomatoes, lemon juice and water and simmer until the tomatoes have softened. Stir in the tamarind and add sugar to balance the sweet/sour flavours.

Add the prawns and turn to coat in the sauce. Add the chopped dill and top with fried shallots and sliced spring onions to serve. Serves 4.