Mama Mangia
Super Moderator
CHARCOAL-GRILLED PRAWN SALAD
(yâm gkoong pow)
Serves 4-5 as part of a family-style meal
1 pound large prawns (12 to 16 per pound)
2 teaspoons sea salt dissolved in 1 cup water
4 to 8 red Thai chiles (prik kee noo ), cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 red serrano, jalapeño, or fresno peppers, cut into 1/4-inch rounds with seeds
5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (nahm bplah ), or to taste
Juice of 1 to 2 limes, or 3 to 4 tablespoons to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons granulated sugar, to taste
2 stalks lemon grass
2 to 3 shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 green onions (use white and half of green parts), cut into 1/8-inch rounds
1/2 cup mint leaves, torn into small pieces
Green leaf lettuce to line serving platter
1 small tomato, sliced into rounds
A few cilantro sprigs
Place prawns in bowl and add salted water. Let sit about five minutes, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water to remove salt. With scissors, snip shells of prawns up the center of the back, about three-quarters of the way toward the tail. Using a sharp knife, butterfly prawns in their shells, cutting deeply along the length of the back where the shells are cut. Remove any dark veins, leaving shells on.
Start charcoal grill. Meanwhile, prepare remaining ingredients.
Crush the two kinds of chiles and garlic with a mortar and pestle to make a coarse paste. Add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Stir well. Taste and adjust flavors so that the sauce is intensely hot, sour and salty, with a little sweetness at the back of the tongue.
Trim and discard woody bottom tip and top third of lemon grass stalks, and peel off two to three of the loose, fibrous outer layers. Cut into very thin rounds and place in a mixing bowl with prepared shallots, green onions and mint leaves.
Grill prawns over medium-hot coals for two to four minutes (cooking time depends on size of prawns), turning once or twice, until shells are pink and slightly charred and the flesh a little undercooked. Prawns will be further cooked by lime juice in the dressing. Undercooking preserves the prawns' natural sweet flavor and gives them a tender, succulent texture. Grilling in the shell keeps them from drying out.
Toss grilled prawns with lime chili dressing. Add herbs and toss lightly to mix. Arrange on platter lined with lettuce leaves, encircled along the edges with tomato slices. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.
(yâm gkoong pow)
Serves 4-5 as part of a family-style meal
1 pound large prawns (12 to 16 per pound)
2 teaspoons sea salt dissolved in 1 cup water
4 to 8 red Thai chiles (prik kee noo ), cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 red serrano, jalapeño, or fresno peppers, cut into 1/4-inch rounds with seeds
5 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (nahm bplah ), or to taste
Juice of 1 to 2 limes, or 3 to 4 tablespoons to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons granulated sugar, to taste
2 stalks lemon grass
2 to 3 shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 green onions (use white and half of green parts), cut into 1/8-inch rounds
1/2 cup mint leaves, torn into small pieces
Green leaf lettuce to line serving platter
1 small tomato, sliced into rounds
A few cilantro sprigs
Place prawns in bowl and add salted water. Let sit about five minutes, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water to remove salt. With scissors, snip shells of prawns up the center of the back, about three-quarters of the way toward the tail. Using a sharp knife, butterfly prawns in their shells, cutting deeply along the length of the back where the shells are cut. Remove any dark veins, leaving shells on.
Start charcoal grill. Meanwhile, prepare remaining ingredients.
Crush the two kinds of chiles and garlic with a mortar and pestle to make a coarse paste. Add fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Stir well. Taste and adjust flavors so that the sauce is intensely hot, sour and salty, with a little sweetness at the back of the tongue.
Trim and discard woody bottom tip and top third of lemon grass stalks, and peel off two to three of the loose, fibrous outer layers. Cut into very thin rounds and place in a mixing bowl with prepared shallots, green onions and mint leaves.
Grill prawns over medium-hot coals for two to four minutes (cooking time depends on size of prawns), turning once or twice, until shells are pink and slightly charred and the flesh a little undercooked. Prawns will be further cooked by lime juice in the dressing. Undercooking preserves the prawns' natural sweet flavor and gives them a tender, succulent texture. Grilling in the shell keeps them from drying out.
Toss grilled prawns with lime chili dressing. Add herbs and toss lightly to mix. Arrange on platter lined with lettuce leaves, encircled along the edges with tomato slices. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.