Cambodian Grilled Prawns With Lemongrass

Half a cup of tuk trey, a popular Khmer sauce, and some lemongrass is all it takes to turn some king prawns into a hearty Cambodian treat. These prawns are a great match for plain white rice, and you can also eat them with a salad.

(This recipe serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 14 King Pawns with shells intact
• 3 finely chopped lemongrass stalks (use only the bottom 3 inches of the stalk, with the hard bottom bit discarded)
• ½ cup tuk trey dipping sauce
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt

Preparation:

1. Using a pair of sharp scissors, trim off the sharp end of the prawn heads. This will prevent your fingers and hands getting pricked by the sharp prawn head during your meal. Cut off as much of the prawn legs as possible without damaging the body.
2. Marinate the prawns with the salt for at least 30 minutes.
3. Put the lemongrass, oil and sugar into the bowl of tuk trey sauce. Mix this well and pour over the prawns. Leave the prawns in the fridge for at least 2 hours, tossing the prawns after an hour, so that they get marinated well.
4. Cook the prawns on a barbeque or under a grill in an oven for 6 minutes, turning over after 3 minutes. The prawns are ready when they turn pinkish red.
5. Serve with plain boiled rice and a side salad or fried vegetables.