Barbecue Prawns With Lemongrass Food

GINGER AND LEMONGRASS GRILLED SHRIMP

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to high.
• In a large, nonreactive bowl, combine the lemongrass, ginger, garlic, scallion greens, soy sauce, sesame oil, and honey and whisk well. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Skewer the shrimp, scallion whites, and red bell peppers onto skewers in whatever order you like. There should be 4 to 6 shrimp per skewer.
• Place the skewers on a flat plate and drizzle with peanut oil. It is not necessary to salt the skewers because soy sauce has so much salt in it. Place the shrimp skewers on the grill and cook about 3 minutes per side, or just until the shrimp curls, turns red and does not appear clear at all. Be careful not to overcook.
• Place the whole radicchio leaves around the edge of a platter. Mound the chiffonade radicchio and watercress inside the leaves and around the platter. Remove the skewers from the grill and place on the bed of greens. Squeeze the juice of a lime over the shrimp.

GRILLED SHRIMP WITH FIERY LEMONGRASS-CHILE SAMBAL

Steps:

• For sambal :
• Combine 6 Thai bird chiles (or 2 serrano or jalapeño chiles) and next 12 ingredients in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until finely chopped and paste forms. If spicier sambal is desired, add more chopped chiles to taste and blend again until paste forms. Transfer sambal to small bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sambal and cook until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring constantly and adding more oil by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry, about 7 minutes. Add 1 cup water; reduce heat to medium and simmer until most of water is absorbed but mixture is still creamy, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and cool. DO AHEAD:Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover sambal and chill.
• For marinade and shrimp:
• Whisk lime juice, 3 tablespoons oil, and 2 tablespoons sambal in small bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewhisk marinade before using, adding more oil by teaspoonfuls if marinade is thick.
• If using unpeeled shrimp, use kitchen scissors to cut shrimp shell along rounded back of tail; scrape out vein with tip of bamboo skewer or tip of small knife. Place peeled or unpeeled shrimp in large glass baking dish. Brush shrimp all over with marinade. Allow shrimp to marinate at room temperature at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush grill rack with oil. Grill shrimp until just opaque in center, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer shrimp to platter. Rewarm remaining sambal and serve alongside for dipping or for spooning atop shrimp.
• Ingredient tip:
• Unpeeled shrimp cook up more succulent and flavorful but are a bit messier to eat than peeled shrimp (which you can use, if you prefer). For ease of preparation, the seafood department at some supermarkets sells uncooked unpeeled shrimp that have already been deveined.

VIETNAMESE RICE NOODLES WITH LEMONGRASS SHRIMP

Steps:

• Make the pickled vegetables: Put carrot and daikon in a small bowl and sprinkle with sugar and salt. Add rice vinegar, toss well and set aside.
• Make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, vinegar, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, ginger and chiles. Stir in 1/2 cup cold water and let mixture sit for 15 minutes. (Leftover sauce will keep up to 3 days, refrigerated.)
• Marinate the shrimp: Put shrimp in a shallow dish. Add fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic and lemongrass. Mix well to coat.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Turn off heat and add rice noodles. Soak noodles, stirring occasionally, until softened, usually about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Leave in colander at room temperature.
• Prepare a platter of lettuce leaves and herb sprigs for the table. Keep cool, covered with a damp towel.
• Put oil in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add shrimp without crowding (work in batches if necessary). Cook for about 2 minutes per side, until lightly browned.
• To serve, divide noodles among 4 large soup bowls, then top each with hot shrimp, pickled vegetables and a tablespoon or so of dipping sauce. Sprinkle with scallions and peanuts (and beans sprouts if using). Pass herb platter and remaining dipping sauce at the table, and encourage guests to customize bowls as desired.

GRILLED BUTTERFLIED PRAWNS WITH SRIRACHA-LEMONGRASS BUTTER

Steps:

• On a cutting board, using a pair of kitchen scissors, or sharp paring knife, cut the shrimp lengthwise through the shell, along the top side about 1 inch below the head and press to flatten. Pull out and discard the intestinal vein that runs lengthwise.
• In a small microwave safe bowl, combine the softened butter with the sriracha, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, turmeric, fish sauce and lime juice and season with the salt. Microwave on high power just until soft enough to brush but not melted, about 5 seconds.
• Light a grill and oil the grates. Arrange the butterflied shrimp in a hinged grill basket, shell-side down, brush with oil and season with salt. Brush very lightly with some of the butter. Grill the shrimp, shell side down until lightly charred, about 2 minutes. Brush the shrimp with more of the butter, turn and grill until lightly charred and cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the shrimp to plates and serve with the remaining butter, naan, lime wedges and cilantro. Serve right away.

SALT & PEPPER PRAWNS WITH LEMON-GRASS MAYONNAISE

Steps:

• To make the mayonnaise, combine the water, lemon grass and lime rind in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until liquid has reduced to 1 tablespoonful. Set aside for 15 minutes to cool.
• Strain the lemon-grass mixture through a fine sieve into a small bowl. Add the mayonnaise and basil and stir to combine.
• Thread the prawns, tail-end first, onto the bamboo skewers.
• Preheat a barbecue grill on high. Combine the Sichuan pepper, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Sprinkle the pepper mixture over the prawns and cook on grill for 1-2 minutes each side or until prawns change colour. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve with lemon-grass mayonnaise and lime wedges.

GRILLED WHOLE FISH WITH LEMONGRASS, CHILES AND COCONUT

Steps:

• Season cavities and outside of fish with salt and pepper. Rub skin all over with coconut oil.
• Thinly slice 1 lime and 1 shallot. Cut another lime into wedges and save for garnish. Fill each fish cavity with lime and shallot slices, a handful of cilantro stems (discard the rest) and the lemongrass.
• Prepare the sauce: Coarsely chop the remaining shallot and juice the remaining lime. In a mini food processor, combine shallot, 1 tablespoon lime juice, the cilantro leaves, the mint, the chile, the garlic, the fish sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse until herbs are chopped, then add coconut milk and oil. Continue to pulse until a coarse, chunky sauce forms. (Don't overdo it; you want a relish-like texture, not a purée.) Taste and add more salt, fish sauce and/or lime juice if necessary. (Alternatively, chop everything really finely by hand and stir in the coconut milk and lime juice.) Sauce can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead. Refrigerate until needed.
• Light or heat the grill to medium-high heat. Place fish in basket and grill until blistered and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side. (Poke the fish along the spine; it should be tender but still juicy.) Serve, garnished with lime wedges and mint leaves, with sauce on the side.