Grilled King Prawns with Sticky Tamarind-Chile Glaze

Preparation

This is a simple, delicious dish that makes you want to dive in again and again. Cooked outside on the barbecue, it packs the sort of flavors that get me excited about summer! The sticky glaze works perfectly not only on prawns or shrimp but also on squid, lobster and our Brisbane specialty: Moreton Bay bugs, also known as flathead lobster.

*This recipe originally ran in Australia on HexClad.au.

1. Make the glaze: Heat oil in a HexClad 2QT/2L Hybrid Saucepan over medium-high heat. Add peppers, lemongrass and garlic. Cook, stirring, until super fragrant and garlic is cooked but not yet turning golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in palm sugar, brown sugar, tamarind, and fish sauce and boil until sugar melts and sauce begins to thicken, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Divide sauce among two bowls, one for basting and one for serving. 
2. Butterfly and grill the prawns: Preheat a barbecue, with a HexClad Hybrid BBQ Grill Pan on the center of the grate, on high heat for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, lay a prawn on its back on a cutting board. Use sharp kitchen shears to snip through the belly from tail to head. With a knife, slice through the incision and fold sides open like a book. Remove and discard the intestinal tract or vein. Repeat with remaining prawns.
3. Brush pan with oil. Working in three batches, arrange prawns in a single layer on the grill pan. Cook, basting with glaze, until lightly charred in places and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a large serving platter.
4. Drizzle reserved glaze from serving bowl over prawns and sprinkle with Thai lime leaves and fresh herbs. Serve warm with lime wedges.

Note: Add as much or as little chile pepper as you like—the sweet and sour balances out the spice. Give it a go! And, if you can’t find whole green king prawns, you can use 12 deveined and butterflied tail-on jumbo shrimp.