Sugercane Prawns

ingredients

  • 2 Asian shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 lemongrass stalk, white part only, finely chopped
  • 600 g green Australian prawn meat
  • 1 tablespoon light palm sugar
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon Vietnamese fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cornflour
  • 2 sugarcane pieces split into 10 sticks * (see note)
  • Vegetable oil for brushing
  • Coriander and Vietnamese mint to serve
  • Butter lettuce leaves and fresh lime to serve

  • Lime dipping sauce
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1½ tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon light palm sugar
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  • 1 red chilli, finely chopped (or to taste)

Notes

* Note: to prepare sugarcane, carefully split sugarcane with a sharp heavy knife into approximately 1cm thick x 12cm long pieces. If unavailable substitute with lemon grass or tinned sugarcane from Asian grocers.

Serves 10 as a snack

Method

Process shallots, garlic and lemon grass in a food processor until finely chopped. Add prawn meat, palm sugar, egg white, fish sauce and cornflour and process until combined (do not overwork).
With wet hands, divide the mixture evenly into 10 and wrap around the sugarcane to form a cylinder about 4cm long. Place on a tray, repeat with remaining mix and sugarcane, cover and refrigerate to set (30 minutes – 1 hour).
For lime dipping sauce, combine ingredients in a small bowl, whisk to combine, until sugar dissolves and refrigerate until required.
Heat large pan over medium high heat, brush sugarcane prawns with oil, fry turning occasionally until cooked through (8-10 minutes). Serve hot with butter lettuce leaves for wrapping, herbs and dipping sauce.

Process shallots, garlic and lemon grass in a food processor until finely chopped. Add prawn meat, palm sugar, egg white, fish sauce and cornflour and process until combined (do not overwork).

With wet hands, divide the mixture evenly into 10 and wrap around the sugarcane to form a cylinder about 4cm long. Place on a tray, repeat with remaining mix and sugarcane, cover and refrigerate to set (30 minutes – 1 hour).

For lime dipping sauce, combine ingredients in a small bowl, whisk to combine, until sugar dissolves and refrigerate until required.

Heat large pan over medium high heat, brush sugarcane prawns with oil, fry turning occasionally until cooked through (8-10 minutes). Serve hot with butter lettuce leaves for wrapping, herbs and dipping sauce.

Credits