Roasted prawns with curry dressing

I made this recipe for the first time a few years ago and was immediately in love with the dressing and its wonderful flavors. It has appeared on my table a few times for formal dinners, and every time, it is a hit with the crowd.

The prawns are wonderfully marinated and can be cooked in a number of ways: on a grill, broiled in the oven as per the original recipe, or fried briefly in a pan. It does not matter as long as you do not overcook them. I love to make this with jumbo prawns for a visually stunning dish, but it works just as well with medium-sized prawns.

The prawns are delicately spiced with the pop of spice from the chillies. The delicately flavoured curried dressing is what takes this dish over the top. I like to use Greek yogurt for the dressing and blend only a small portion to keep it thick.

This is one of my favourite cookbooks; cooking from it always makes me happy! The recipes can occasionally be complex to make, but most are simple, like this one. Every recipe from this cookbook is spectacular. The Araxi farm-to-table restaurant in Whistler is on my bucket list.

For more amazing recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the prawns:

1 lb prawns, jumbo or large prawns preferred

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin powder

Salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1/2-1 jalapeño chilli, or any green chilli, finely minced

Juice and zest of 1 lemon or lime

Iceberg lettuce, shredded (optional)

Cilantro to garnish

For the curry dressing:

2 tablespoons oil

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 shallot, finely minced

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1/2-1 teaspoon Madras curry powder

1 cup Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons honey, + to taste

Juice of 1/2 lime

Salt, to taste

Mix the prawns with all the ingredients and marinate for 2 hours in the fridge.

Meanwhile, make the dressing by heating the oil on a very low flame in a small frying pan. Add the garlic, shallot, and ginger and fry until the onions are cooked but not browned. The garlic and ginger should also be cooked and aromatic. Add the Madras curry powder and cook for 1 minute. Take off the heat and cool.

Add the cooked ingredients to all the other ingredients in a small blender and purèe to a smooth liquid. Taste. The dressing should be sweet, tart, and lightly spiced. You want a mild sauce that is delicate in flavour, not harsh. Set aside in the fridge until needed.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan, one large enough for all the prawns to fit in a single layer. Sauté on medium heat until the prawns are cooked; do not over-fry and make them tough. Once they have turned white, they are done. Alternatively, you can grill the prawns, especially if they are jumbo, or broil them in the oven. Either way, do not overcook them.

In a bowl, layer the lettuce and add the prawns. Drizzle with the dressing, garnish, and serve immediately.