Prawns with chilli dipping sauce

Nothing says “I am suave” like a well prepared prawn. There is something about a prawn that appeals to the decadent side of us. Well-prepared prawns need a mysterious elixir of ingredients and excellent timing to bring out their delicate and subtle flavours.

I found this great spicy prawn starter. There are Asian inspired flavours in this recipe and with some glam presentation you could knock the socks off your friends next time you invite them round.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Bunch of spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
• 1-2 red chillies, depending on your heat preference, de-seeded and finely chopped
• 20 large shelled raw king prawns
• Splash of dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. Canderel Yellow
• Handful of coriander leaves
• For the dressing:
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 1-2 tsp Canderel Yellow

Before you Begin:

• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: 15 minutes
• Per serving: 415.8 kJ
• Serves: 4

Step by step:

1. First make the dressing, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and mix with a fork until the Canderel Yellow has dissolved. Taste and season with salt if needed and put to one side.
2. Heat half the oil in a wok then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, being careful that you don’t burn it. Add the chilli and spring onions and stir fry quickly for a further few seconds until the spring onions just begin to soften.
3. Remove with a slotted spoon and sit them in a sieve, put to one side.
4. Wipe the wok out with kitchen paper then add the remaining oil. Add the prawns and cook on a medium to high heat, moving them around the pan for about 3 minutes until they are pink. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the spring onion mixture. Drain away the juice and wipe the pan clean with kitchen paper.
5. Now return everything back to the wok with no oil and add the soy sauce and Canderel Yellow, stir fry for a few seconds then add the coriander and toss together.
6. Plate up and garnish with a coriander leaf and serve straight away with the dipping sauce on the side.