Grilled tiger prawns with coconut curry marinade recipe

This southern-Thai grilled tiger prawns with coconut curry marinade recipe is tasty, filling and healthy – so basically it’s the perfect dinner. Prawns are a great source of lean protein and zinc, while the mix of spices like chilli, garlic and ginger will give your body all kinds of health benefits.

Ingredients (serves 4)

8 -12 raw tiger prawns, de-­veined and shells taken off but head and tail left on

For the ‘Kolae’ curry paste:

5 long dried chillies, deseeded soaked in water for 15 minutes then drained

6 cloves of peeled garlic

1 thumb-sized knob of peeled fresh ginger, sliced

1 small piece of fresh turmeric root, peeled

2 large peeled banana shallots

5 sticks of lemongrass, roughly sliced

4tbsp of dry roasted coconut (ideally fresh coconut meat, but you can substitute unsweetened desiccated coconut dry roasted until golden brown)

2tbsp roasted or fried peanuts

1 large pinch sea salt

For the curry:

250ml of coconut milk/cream (ideally fresh, but a good quality Thai brand will do)

5tbsp Vita Coco Coconut Oil

2tbsp palm sugar

2tbsp of fish sauce

1tsp tamarind water

To serve:

Coriander sprigs

Pickled ginger (ideally a Thai brand if not then a Japanese one will do)

Lime wedges

Method

First make the Kolae curry paste. If using a pestle and mortar, pound the curry paste ingredients one by one in the order above until a smooth result is achieved. If using a blender then whizz all the curry paste ingredients together until smooth.

First cook out the curry by warming the Vita Coco oil in a pan. Add in the curry paste and half the coconut milk and cook over a medium heat stirring regularly to avoid sticking. Cook for around eight minutes until darkened slightly and fragrant. Add the palm sugar, cook for one more minute then add the fish sauce, tamarind and then the rest of the coconut milk.

Allow the curry sauce to cool, before using half of it to marinate the prawns in. Leave for 20 to ­3­0 minutes before BBQ-ing or grilling the prawns and basting with the other half of the coconut curry marinade.

Once fully cooked, serve the grilled prawns with the coriander, pickled ginger and lime wedges as garnish.

This recipe was created as a collaboration between Andy Oliver and Vita Coco Coconut Oil. For more inspiration, tips and recipes please go to swearbyit.com