Feed your appetite for cooking with Penguin’s expert authors
Tandoori Prawns
Introduction from Rick Stein
The tandoori spice mix that I use for my prawns is quite unconventional. Although it includes all the standard tandoori marinade ingredients, such as yoghurt, lemon juice, chilli and curry spices, I also put in a great deal of pounded fennel seed, which I find gives the marinated prawns an incomparable texture and aromatic flavour. Do splash out on the best-possible whole uncooked prawns for this dish; it is well worth it.
Ingredients
Essential kit
You will need a food processor and a coffee grinder or a pestle and mortar.
Method
Mix together all the ingredients for the lemon chilli marinade. Make 3 small slits in either side of each prawn between the shell segments to allow the marinade to penetrate. Put the prawns and marinade in a bowl, turning the prawns to coat them, and set aside for 20 minutes.
For the tandoori masala paste, grind the fennel, coriander and cumin seeds in a coffee grinder or a pestle and mortar. Put the spices in a food processor with all the rest of the ingredients and the cold water and blend until smooth. Stir the paste into the yoghurt. Add the prawns, stir together well and leave for 20 minutes.
Thread the prawns on to metal skewers or bamboo skewers that have been soaked in water; piercing them just behind the head and through the tail. Cook them over a barbecue or under a very hot grill for 4 minutes, turning them over half-way through.
While the prawns are cooking, prepare the salad. Halve and thinly slice the tomatoes and onion, then mix with all the remaining salad ingredients. Serve with the prawns, together with some warm naan bread.
You might also like
Reviews
Have you tried this recipe? Let us know how it went by leaving a comment below.
Our team will respond to any queries as soon as we can - this may take longer over weekends. You do not need to resubmit your comment.
Please note: Moderation is enabled and may delay your comment being posted. There is no need to resubmit your comment. By posting a comment you are agreeing to the website Terms of Use.