Name: Turmeric and coconut grilled prawns with mint and cucumber salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp grapeseed oil; 70 gm sambal belacan (see note); 3 tsp finely grated ginger; 2-3 tsp ground turmeric; 400 ml coconut milk; Juice of ½ lime plus extra to serve; 1 kg uncooked prawns, peeled and deveined; 2 cups (loosely packed) Vietnamese mint; 1 telegraph cucumber, half-peeled, diced; 2 red shallots, very thinly sliced; Toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Turmeric and coconut grilled prawns with mint and cucumber salad

This simple spiced coconut sauce adds a lot of flavour to barbecued prawns (or fish or chicken, for that matter). Vietnamese mint gives a beautiful lift, but this dish works just as well with other mints.

Serves 4

Prep

20M

Cook

10M

Total

30M

Ingredients

1 tbsp grapeseed oil

70 gm sambal belacan (see note)

3 tsp finely grated ginger

2-3 tsp ground turmeric

400 ml coconut milk

Juice of ½ lime plus extra to serve

1 kg uncooked prawns, peeled and deveined

2 cups (loosely packed) Vietnamese mint

1 telegraph cucumber, half-peeled, diced

2 red shallots, very thinly sliced

Toasted sesame seeds, to serve

Method

1.Heat oil in a wok over high heat until smoking. Stir-fry sambal belacan until fragrant (1 minute), then add ginger and turmeric, and stir to just combine. Add coconut milk and bring to the boil, stirring to combine thoroughly (1-2 minutes). Season with lime juice and salt and cool completely (stir the sauce in a bowl over ice to speed things up).

2.Toss prawns in a bowl with half the sauce to coat and refrigerate until required.

3.Combine mint, cucumber and shallot in a bowl.

4.Heat a char-grill pan or barbecue to high. Grill prawns until charred and just cooked (1-2 minutes each side). Transfer to a bowl, add remaining sauce and toss to coat. Serve scattered with mint and cucumber salad, and toasted sesame seeds.

Sambal belacan, a Malaysian chilli paste, is available at Asian grocers and select supermarkets.
Drink Suggestion: Fragrant, rich pinot gris. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes