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Serves: 4 (3 skewers per person)
INGREDIENTS
- 125gm Caster Sugar
- 125ml Water
- 30ml White Vinegar
- 30ml Lime Juice
- 15ml Fish Sauce
- 1⁄2 Red Birds Eye Chilli – remove and discard stem and seeds, then finely chop.
- 50gm Lebanese Cucumber – peel, cut in half lengthways, remove and discard seeds, cut into 1⁄2 cm dice.
- 50gm Carrot – peel, top and tail, then cut into 1⁄2 cm dice.
- 1 Green Shallot Stem – finely slice widthways.
- 20 Coriander leaves – rinse, drain and roughly chop.
- 20 Unsalted Roasted Peanuts – roughly chop.
- 600gm Raw Deveined Prawn Meat – rinse and pat dry.
- 3 Garlic Cloves – peel and roughly chop.
- 3 Lemongrass Stalks – use the tender inner stem only, finely chop.
- 3 Kaffir Lime Leaves – rinse, drain and remove the stem, then finely chop the leaves.
- 18 Coriander leaves – rinse, drain and finely chop.
- 1⁄2 Red Birds Eye Chilli (optional) – remove and discard stem and seeds, then finely chop.
- 1 1⁄2 tsp Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 3 tsp Fish Sauce
- To Taste – Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 12 Lemongrass Stalks – trim into 12cm long skewers.
- As Required – Olive Oil Spray
METHOD
- Over a moderate heat, in a saucepan, add the caster sugar, water, white vinegar, lime juice, first quantity of fish sauce and first quantity of red bird’s eye chilli. Bring up to the boil, stirring regularly to ensure all of the ingredients have combined and the sugar has dissolved, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the sauce has slightly thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool for 10 minutes. Add the cucumber, carrot, shallot, first quantity of coriander leaves and peanuts and gently stir to combine. Place into a small, deep sided bowl and set to one side to allow the sauce’s flavours to further develop.
- In the jug of a blender, add the prawn meat, garlic cloves, first quantity of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, second quantity of coriander leaves, second quantity of red bird’s eye chilli, sweet chilli sauce and second quantity of fish sauce. Blend until finely chopped, then season with finely ground black pepper.
- Remove the prawn mixture and divide it into 12 equal balls. Mould each ball around one end of each of the lemongrass stalk skewers approximately 5cm in length and 4cm in diameter. Cover the skewers with cling wrap and place in a refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the prawn mixture to firm up.
- Lightly spray oil on a flat plate of a BBQ or a sauté pan and bring up to a moderate heat. Once hot, gently place the prawn skewers onto the flat BBQ plate or sauté pan and cook for 4 minutes on each side or until they are cooked through and golden brown in colour.
TO SERVE
Gently stack the lemongrass prawn skewers on a board or platter next to the bowl of homemade cucumber and coriander dipping sauce.
