Vietnamese Grilled Sugarcane Prawns Recipes

VIETNAMESE GRILLED SUGARCANE PRAWNS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a small saucepan over moderate heat.
• Add the onion and shallots and saute until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture (not the juice) to a bowl and add the egg white, fish sauce, salt, sugar, garlic, white pepper, cornstarch and baking powder.
• Add the shrimp and toss well.
• Transfer the shrimp mixture to a food processor and process until almost smooth but still lumpy. Transfer the paste to a bowl, scraping the work bowl clean.
• Stir in the scallions. (If the paste is not cold, refrigerate at this point to stiffen it.)
• Quarter the sugarcane pieces lengthwise, or halve them if they're small. Wet your hands with cold water. Place 2 tablespoons of the shrimp paste in the middle of your palm. Place a piece of the sugarcane on top and mold the paste around it. (The paste should be about 1/4 inch thick and about 2 1/2 inches long).
• Gently press the paste against the stick so that the edges are sealed. Set the shrimp stick aside on an oiled plate.
• Repeat with the remaining sugarcane and paste.
• Oil a steamer basket and place the sugarcane sticks in a single layer.
• Steam until the shrimp paste turns pink, 2 to 3 minutes. You can make this dish in advance up to this point.
• To finish, grill or broil the shrimp sticks until the paste is hot inside and slightly charred around the edges.
• Serve immediately with accompaniments as described above.

VIETNAMESE GRILLED JUMBO SHRIMP ON SUGARCANE STICKS

Steps:

• Using a food processor, puree garlic, sugar, shallots, fish sauce, lime juice and pepper. Add lemongrass and the 1/4 cup of oil; process to a puree. Place shrimp in a large shallow container with lid and pour marinade over shrimp to cover. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 1/2 hours.
• Light a grill.
• Cut each sugarcane stick in half on a sharp diagonal so each piece has a sharp point. Scrape off marinade. Make a slit near the shrimp's tail and one near the head with a sharp knife. Thread a sugarcane stick through the slits; the shrimp should lie flat.
• Grill the shrimp over a hot fire, brushing them once or twice with oil, until lightly charred and just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
• Place shrimp on a serving platter and sprinkle with peanuts and cilantro.
• Serve the shrimp with the Vietnamese Dipping Sauce.