8 WAYS YOU CAN BE A PRAWN STAR

No one can take that away from me! I love food. You will always find recipe books in my library. I subscribed to so many food channels on my mobile phone. Always in front of TV tuning to food channels on local and cable TV. On my computer, you'll see pictures of food littered on my screen. Practically, I mess up my kitchen every other day trying out what i had seen, learnt or imagined. Since last year, I have been nudging for seafood after I went for a dinner date with a friend. Whoa! This is actually delicious. Please forgive my 'mumu' as I have always judged seafood, from childhood, with the sight and taste of crayfish. And mom won't help matters with the eat-it-so-that-you-will-grow-well sermon. So I grudgingly had my meals with the annoying taste of crayfish and was waiting anxiously for when I will grow up to have my freedom from this her crayfish matter.

Now I have grown up to like crayfish (don't laugh at me) and other seafood that I make sure I eat it minimum of every week. Mummy wasn't actually punishing me and she was right after all. She really wanted me to grow because I found out the amazing nutrients in these sea foods especially prawns which now happen to be my best. Prawns are valued for their high nutritional contents. They are low in calories, contain no carbohydrates, rich source of proteins (the building block of the body and for tissue repairs), Omega 3 fatty acids (healthy fats which is good for the heart) and rich in Vitamins (especially B12 which is good for the health of the heart and good for memory and E for skin glow and for tackling skin diseases) and minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium (selenium prevents the growth of cancer cells). With this knowledge, I sought for different delicious ways to spice my foods with prawns. See how I made myself a prawn star.

Spaghetti with prawns

Ingredients

·         Spaghetti

·         Vegetable oil

·         1 lemon peel (for flavouring)

·         Garlic

·         Vegetables(optional)

·         Prawns

·         A handful of chopped fresh basil leaves (scent leaves)

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted water until it is cooked. Drain and keep aside.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a pan over low heat. Add finely chopped onions, garlic, ginger and the lemon peel and sauté for about 5 minutes. You can make it very healthy by adding vegetables like carrots, green peas, chopped tomatoes, red, yellow and red peppers.
3. Add the prawns and cook for about 3 minutes, stir occasionally. Season with salt and seasoning cubes. Add the prawns to the mixture and then the boiled spaghetti with a little bit of water. Allow to cook for 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Stir thoroughly with the chopped basil leaves (or scent leaves) and serve.

Spicy Prawn Pasta

Ingredients 

·         Chopped onions, ginger and garlic

·         Vegetable oil

·         Chopped tomatoes and green pepper

·         Tomato puree

·         Flour (optional)

·         Spices(Curry powder, thyme, dried shallot) and seasoning cubes

·         Chicken or beef stock

·         Pasta (preferably macaroni)

·         Prawns                                  

       

Method

1. Cook pasta with plenty and bring to boil.
2. Heat a pot and add vegetable oil. Fry the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes and pepper. Pour in the chicken or beef stock and then the tomato puree, spices and seasoning cubes.
3. Boil the mixture for about 3 minutes until mixture thickens (You can add the flour as a thickener)
4. Stir in the prawns for about 2 minutes and immediately add the cooked pasta. Taste and adjust seasonings, especially salt.
5. Ready to serve.

Coconut prawn curry

Ingredients 

·          Vegetable oil

·         Onions and garlic

·         Red pepper

·         Tomatoes (blended)

·         All spices and seasonings

·         Coconut milk

·         Flour

·         Chopped bay leaves or mint leaves(to garnish)

Method                                  

1. Heat oil in non-stick hot over medium heat. Sauté onion, red pepper and garlic until it soften for about 3 minutes.
2. Pour the blended tomatoes, add spices and seasonings. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, sugar and bring to boil with reduced heat and uncovered for 2 minutes.
3. Stir in prawns and increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir until prawns are cooked through, about 4 minutes.
4. Add flour and cook until sauce has thickened for about 1 minute. Stir in bay leaves and remove from heat.
5. Serve with boiled rice.

Barbecued prawns

Ingredients 

·         Vegetable oil

·         Lemon (squeeze out the juice)

·         Onions, garlic and ginger (dried and grounded)

·         Dried pepper

·         Prawns

Method

1.    In a bowl, stir together the vegetable oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, onions and pepper. Add prawns and toss to coat. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

2.     Preheat barbecue for high heat. Thread prawns onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard any remaining marinade. You can use hot charcoal and gauze as grill.

3.      Sprinkle lightly the vegetable oil. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side until it is opaque.

Butter and garlic prawns

Ingredients 

·         Butter

·         Lemon (juices)

·         Chopped garlic

·         Chopped fresh parsley or bay leaves.

·          Deveined prawns

Method

1. Preheat oven to 230 C
2. Combine butter, lemon juice, garlic and spices in a small saucepan. Use medium heat, when the butter melts completely, remove from heat.
3. Arrange prawns in a shallow baking dish. Pour the butter mixture over the prawns.

Lemon and garlic prawns

Ingredients 

·         Butter

·         Pepper

·         Chopped onions and garlic

·         Prawns

·         Lemon (juiced)

·         Salt and pepper to taste, 

·         Chopped parsley leaves

·         Seasonings

·         Tomatoes and  green peas to garnish

Method

1. Heat the butter in a frying pan. Once melted, add onions, garlic, pepper and the chopped parsley leaves and cook gently for 30 seconds.
2. Add prawns to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it turns pink. Add juice from the lemon wine and seasoning. 
3. Stir through for a minute or two to let the flavours combine and then serve.

Garlic and sweet chilli king prawns with basmati rice

Ingredients

·         Basmati rice

·         Vegetable oil

·         Chopped onions and garlic

·         Tomatoes (cut in small sizes)

·         Pepper and sea salt to taste

·         Cooked prawns

·         Salt.

·         Coriander leaves to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Rinse basmati rice with cold water to prevent it from sticking together. Put in a pot with water and salt and boil 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Put over medium heat another pot or pan, add vegetable oil, garlic, onions, pepper, tomatoes, seasonings and fry. Throw in the prawns.
3. Whilst the prawns are heating, remove the rice from the heat and drain. Return back with little water to low flame and simmer for 8 minutes.
4. When the rice is cooked, dish on a plate with the prawn sauce and serve.
5. You can opt for the sandcastle style which adds a nice touch and a catchy look. Fill a bowl with the cooked rice. Use spoon to pat it down until the bowl is full. Turn the bowl of rice upside down over a serving plate and remove slowly. Place the prawns around the rice and add one single prawn on top of the mound of rice for a complete look.

Stir-fried eggs with prawns

·         Ingredients

·         Prawns

·         Eggs (beaten)

·         Salt

·         Flour

·         Onions (preferably spring onions)

·         Tomatoes (chopped)

·         Green and red pepper

·         Carrots (grated)

·         Vegetable oil

Method

1. Churn prawns with a pinch of salt and leave for 5 minutes. Rinse and dry the prawns well with serviette.
2. Mix the prawns with the beaten eggs, salt and flour. Stir well and keep aside.
3. Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add prawns and cook for 1 minute. Strain and set aside.
4. Mix eggs, chopped spring onions, grated carrots, prawns, pepper and salt together in a bowl.
5. Heat vegetable oil over high heat, then pour in the beaten eggs mixture and let it set. Do not move it until the edges begin to set. Stir-fry quickly in a circular motion. Turn off the heat as soon as the eggs are cooked heat and serve.