Wild Red Tiger Prawns Recipe

Rinse and dry

Rinse the wild red tiger prawns under cold water. Pat them very dry with paper towels—moisture prevents a good sear.

Lightly season the prawns with the coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside while you prepare the marinade (5–10 minutes).

Make the marinade

In a medium bowl combine the extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, chopped lemongrass, grated ginger, soy sauce, fish sauce, honey, lime juice, smoked paprika and chili flakes. Whisk until honey is dissolved and the mixture is homogenous.

Reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade in a small bowl to use as a finishing baste. Place the prawns in the larger bowl with the remaining marinade and toss to coat evenly. Marinate at room temperature for 10–15 minutes (no more than 30 minutes to avoid toughening the prawns).

Preheat and prepare pan or grill

If using a heavy skillet or cast-iron pan: heat it over high heat until very hot (2–3 minutes), then add the neutral high-heat oil and swirl to coat. If grilling: preheat grill to high and oil the grates.

Sear the prawns

Arrange prawns in a single layer, shell/tail side down if tails are on, leaving space so they don’t steam. Cook without moving for 1.5–2 minutes until the underside is nicely browned. Flip and cook another 1.5–2 minutes until opaque and just cooked through (internal temperature ~60°C/140°F). Total cooking time depends on prawn size; avoid overcooking.

Butter baste

In the final 30 seconds of cooking, add the unsalted butter and the reserved 2 tablespoons of marinade to the pan. Tilt the pan and spoon the melted butter-marina-de mixture over the prawns repeatedly to glaze them and build flavor. If grilling, transfer prawns briefly to a hot skillet with the butter and reserved marinade to baste, or brush with the reserved marinade and finish with a pat of butter.

Remove prawns to a warmed platter as soon as they are cooked to prevent carryover cooking. Spoon any remaining pan juices over the prawns.

Scatter the roughly chopped cilantro and optional microgreens or sliced spring onions over the prawns.

Serve immediately with lime wedges for squeezing. Recommend serving with steamed jasmine rice, crusty bread to mop up the juices, or a crisp green salad.