Description
These Grilled Tamarind-Marinated Prawns are a flavorful and juicy seafood dish featuring prawns marinated in a tangy tamarind sauce, then grilled to perfection. The marinade combines tamarind pulp, fish sauce, garlic, shallots, and a hint of chili, creating a vibrant and appetizing meal ideal for summer entertaining or a light dinner. Served with a tamarind dipping sauce and garnished with fresh cilantro, these prawns offer a delightful balance of sweet, sour, and savory flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Marinade and Prawns
- 1/2 cup (144 g) tamarind pulp
- 2 pounds (925 g) head-on, shell-on (size 8/9) prawns or colossal shrimp
- 4 teaspoons (9 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided (for table salt, use half volume or same weight)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, divided
- 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons (150 ml) fish sauce, divided (preferably Three Crab or Red Boat)
- 1/4 cup (30 g) chopped shallot (from 2 medium shallots)
- 6 garlic cloves (30 g), chopped, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 1 red bird’s eye chile, thinly sliced
For Garnish
- A few sprigs of cilantro
Instructions
- Prepare Tamarind Juice: In a medium heat-proof bowl, combine tamarind pulp and 2 1/4 cups hot water. Let stand for 10 minutes. Mash tamarind pulp with a metal spoon to release meat from fibers and seeds. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into another bowl to yield about 1 1/2 cups tamarind juice.
- Prep the Prawns: Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, butterfly each prawn by cutting along the back halfway through the flesh, keeping shell, head, and tail intact. Remove and discard the vein.
- Soak Prawns: In a large bowl, mix 4 cups ice water, 1 tablespoon salt, and baking soda. Add the deveined prawns and soak for 15 minutes. Remove prawns and pat dry with paper towels.
- Make Marinade and Marinate Prawns: In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/4 cups tamarind juice, 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons fish sauce, chopped shallot, 2 tablespoons garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and white pepper until sugar dissolves. Add prawns and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, flipping halfway through.
- Prepare Dipping Sauce: In a small saucepan, combine remaining 1/4 cup tamarind juice, remaining 1/4 cup fish sauce, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons garlic, and bird’s eye chile. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, until slightly reduced, about 10 minutes.
- Preheat Grill: For charcoal grill, light a chimney full of charcoal; when coals are covered with gray ash, arrange on half the grate and preheat with cover on for 5 minutes. For gas grill, turn all burners to high and heat covered for about 15 minutes.
- Grill Prawns: Clean and oil the grill grate. Shake excess marinade from prawns. Place half of the prawns directly over the hot side of the grill. Grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, flipping once, until just cooked through and opaque. Transfer to a platter and repeat with remaining prawns.
- Serve: Garnish grilled prawns with cilantro sprigs and serve immediately with the tamarind dipping sauce.
Notes
- The tamarind marinade keeps the prawns juicy and tender while imparting a tangy and slightly sweet flavor.
- This recipe is excellent for summer barbecues, light dinners, or entertaining guests.
- Butterflying the prawns helps them cook evenly and absorb the marinade better.
- Using head-on, shell-on prawns preserves flavor and moisture during grilling.
- If you prefer less heat, reduce or omit the bird’s eye chile in the dipping sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 326 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 4144 mg
- Fat: 3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 325 mg
