The Open Book Cook

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Basil Prawns

Sometimes when I see a picture of a dish, my brain has this big idea of what the dish should taste like and then to my dismay, the recipe is nothing like what my brain conjured up. This recipe was born out of exactly this conundrum!

Tips to get you started:

· Frozen EZ peel raw prawns make the prep easy, just thaw according to your package directions. I used Argentinian red shrimp.

· Shells from the prawns may be reserved to make a seafood stock.

· Wash and thoroughly dry your basil leaves before sautéing them to avoid popping hot oil due to water on the leaves.

· I used Maggi brand sweet chili sauce.

Prep time: 10-40 minutes

Cook time: 10-12 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 Tablespoon Thai style fish sauce

2 Tablespoons Sweet chili sauce

8-10 Fresh garlic cloves, minced

2 Cups fresh basil leaves, washed and dried

2 Bird’s eye chilies

1 Tablespoon (about 1-inch fresh ginger root) fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1-pound raw EZ peel prawns or large shrimp, peeled and deveined as needed

Lime wedges (optional)

Part one: Heat over high heat a medium sized sauté pan or wok, when the metal has heated to a level where you can hold your hand 1 inch above the bottom of the pan for only about 1-2 seconds, add the coconut oil. When the oil has melted (if in a solid state), add the basil leaves and immediately after, add the prawns to the pan.

Part two: When the first side of the prawns in contact with the pan has started to turn pink and opaque, flip or toss them to turn them over and immediately add your ginger, chilies and garlic to the pan. When the ginger and garlic turn more fragrant, add your sauces and remove immediately from heat.

Part three: Serve hot, with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Serving suggestion: I enjoyed this dish served over cooked Thai jasmine rice with some steamed broccoli.

Tiny chefs at home? They can help:

· Measure ingredients

· Pull basil leaves off the plant

· Peel the ginger using a spoon

· Squeeze limes

Nutrition information: Calculated including the optional lime wedges.

Total Calories: 114

Total Fat: 4 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 533 mg

Total Carbohydrates: 12 g

Sugars: 6 g

Protein: 9 g

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.