Mary Berry’s Marinated Harissa Prawns with Spiced Rice
A vibrant, fresh-tasting dish from the BBC2 series Mary Berry Everyday, these easy Marinated Harissa Prawns with Spiced Rice make for a flavoursome summer feast.
From the book
Mary Berry Everyday
120 simple yet delicious recipes for everyday cooking
All the recipes from the BBC TV series
Classic favourites the whole family will enjoy
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Introduction
This is a fresh and healthy dish, full of lovely contrasting flavours and textures. The harissa has a rounded taste that’s not too spicy. Buy large, fresh prawns with the shell on but remove the shell on the tail before cooking, just leaving the head on. This looks impressive and makes the prawns easier to eat, although you may want to provide a finger bowl for sticky fingers!
Ingredients
| 18 | raw king prawns, shell on |
| 1–2 tbsp | oil, for frying (see tip) |
| 1 tbsp | chopped parsley, to garnish |
| For the rice salad: | |
| 250g (9oz) | basmati or long-grain rice |
| 250g (9oz) | chargrilled red peppers in oil (from a jar), drained and chopped into 1cm (½in) pieces |
| 175g (6oz) | chargrilled artichoke hearts in oil (from a jar), sliced into 1cm (½in) pieces |
| 8 | ready-to-eat dried apricots, snipped into 1cm (½in) pieces |
| 1 bunch of | parsley, chopped |
| salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| For the spiced dressing: | |
| 85ml (3fl oz) | oil (see tip) |
| juice of ½ lemon | |
| 1 | small garlic clove, crushed |
| 2 tsp | ground cumin |
| 2 tsp | ground coriander |
| 1 tsp | harissa paste |
| 1 tsp | sugar |
| For the marinade: | |
| 1 tbsp | harissa paste |
| 1 | large garlic clove, crushed |
| 1 tbsp | oil (see tip) |
Method
1. Cook the rice in boiling salted water according to the packet instructions (usually 12–15 minutes), then drain, rinse and set aside in the colander to cool quickly and dry out. When the rice is cold, tip into a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients for the rice salad, seasoning with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
2. Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing, pour over the rice salad and stir in.
3. Remove the shell and legs from the body of each of the prawns, leaving the head on. De-vein the prawns. Place the harissa paste, garlic and oil in a bowl and stir to combine, then add the prawns, season with salt and pepper and toss until well coated. Leave for a minimum of 15 minutes to marinate.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add the prawns and fry over a high heat for 3–4 minutes until pink and curled up, turning halfway through the cooking time. Cook in batches if needed. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest for a few minutes. Add the rice to the hot pan (you may need to add a little more oil to the pan first) and toss over a high heat for 3–4 minutes or until piping hot.
5. Transfer the rice to a serving plate with the prawns arranged on top. Sprinkle with parsley, if you like.
PREPARE AHEAD: The prawns can be left to marinate up to 6 hours ahead.
The rice salad can be made up to a day ahead and kept in the fridge. Pour over the dressing up to 30 minutes before heating through to serve. (Rice must be cooled quickly, stored in the fridge and reheated thoroughly.)
MARY’S EVERYDAY TIP: Reserve the oil from the artichokes and red peppers, using 85ml (3fl oz) for the dressing (topped up with olive oil, if needed), 1 tablespoon for the marinade and 1–2 tablespoons for frying the prawns and rice.
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