Choosing:
When it comes to prawns, quality makes all the difference so it’s important to choose the right ones, and it all depends on what you are using them for:
#1: If you are adding plenty of sauce to your prawns, as for a curry then size and firmness of the meat will be less noticeable. In those cases you can go for responsibly-sourced farmed prawns. Feel free to go for peeled prawns, but be aware that they will have less flavour than the shell-on prawns. Fresh or frozen are both fine. These will be cheaper than the wild ones and go perfectly well in a curry-type dish.
#3 : However if you are simply grilling and there for not fussing around them, you will want the meat and flavour to be the best you can get, as you will be serving them with minimal cooking. In this case go for bigger prawns, like a 20/30 or above (prawns are categorized per number of prawns in each kilo), shell and heads on and wild-caught. The meat will be firmer and taste fresher which is important in simpler recipes.
Deveining:
Right, this is where a lot of confusion starts. Most people will take the heads and shells off at this point. What I can tell on the subject is, please feel free to take them off, but I will do my best to convince you otherwise. The reason why I don’t take the heads off is simply because most of the flavour is in the heads and I would hate to lose it. The reason I don’t take the shells off is because when you do so, you tend to overcook your prawns producing a dry prawn instead of a juicy prawn.
How to devein your prawns:
#1: Place your prawns flat on their side on a chopping board and bend them into a circle as tight as you can so their back is on the outside and their legs are on the inside.
#2: Grab a sharp long knife and run it along the prawns back, from the tail to the head, making a
Parallel cut to your chopping board. Make sure to be gentle with your cutting as you don’t want to separate your prawns into two.
#3: Now that you made the cut along the prawns back you can slightly open the cut and look for the little black vein that runs down their backs. Grab it with two fingers and pull it out.
Butterflying:
Butterflying your prawns insures that the ‘piri-piri’ oil will get right in there and the prawn will grill evenly, so it’s well worth doing it.
Simply open the cut, de-veined prawn on your chopping board, cut side down and slightly press to flatten and open the cut up and it’s done…. Simple.
How to make the Piri Piri oil:
The first thing to make is your piri-piri sauce as it should rest for at least 24h.
Tip #1: I’ve given you the quantities necessary for this recipe but to be honest I normally make a big batch of it and then keep it in a jar in my pantry as I use it so much. If you decide to make a big batch, just multiply the quantities and when you are done put into sterilized jars. It will keep well for at least 6 months.
Now grab a pestle and mortar and place the garlic and the chillies in there and give them a good bash. Mix all the remaining ingredients. Leave the sauce to mature for at least 24 hours, trust me it will pay off.
How to make the prawns:
When it’s time to make your prawns place them in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Add the piri-piri sauce and give it a stir. Leave to rest for about 30 minutes while you start your Bbq.
Tip #2: Ideally you would cook them on the Bbq over some nice hot coals but if that is not an option get a heavy bottom frying pan and put it on a high heat. Once it is smoking hot, grill your prawns.
By now your coals should be nice and hot so get your grill and place the prawns cut side down and open over the coals. As soon as the translucent flesh underneath changes to white, turn your prawns over, brush with a little more piri-piri oil and grill until the shells are pink and very slightly char grilled.
Tip #2: Cooking times depend hugely on your heat and size of your prawns so it’s impossible to say. What I can tell you is that it’s crucial not to overcook prawns as they will go dry and stick to their shells. The trick is to keep a close eye on them and as soon as the flesh changes from translucent to white they are don. Overall it shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes on each side.
Once ready and nicely grilled move them on to a plate and serve sprinkled with lemon and a bit more Piri-Piri oil on the side for those that like it hot.