These butterflied prawns take just minutes to cook and are dressed in a flavourful nam jim dressing. These juicy grilled prawns are a great starter or a meal.
24shell-on XXL tiger prawnsany size fine, cooking time will vary
1teaspoonfine sea salt / kosher salt
¼cupneutral flavoured vegetable oil
NAM JIM DRESSING
1long red chillifinely chopped with or without seeds
4clovesgarlicminced
½teaspoonhot dried chilli flakes (or 2-4 birdseye chilli to taste)
¼cuplime juice (2-3 limes)
¼cupwhite sugar
2tablespoonsfish sauce
1tablespoonfinely chopped coriander (cilantro)
TO SERVE
lime wedges
Fresh coriander/cilantro
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
2 Large baking sheets
Instructions
In a mason jar combine the nam jim dressing ingredients and shake well to combine. Set aside.
The safest way I’ve found to butterfly prawns is the lay them flat on their belly and press down a little. Holding each side of the prawn with one hand, with a serrated knife in the other hand, very carefully start to cut along the back of the prawn where it humps up a little. Once you’ve cut through the top part of the shell, making sure the knife is in line right down the centre of the head, back and tail press down to slice it in half. Repeat with all the prawns.
Remove the digestive tract and gently rinse the heads clean. You can cut the heads away if you prefer.
Transfer the prawns to a large bowl with the oil, salt and ¼ cup of the dressing. Toss to coat evenly trying to make sure to get the meat side well coated. Set aside remaining nam Jim for serving.
Preheat overhead grill / broiler to high and have a rack about 6 inches below.
Place the prawns onto a baking sheet meat side up. You can fit about 12-14 onto one large sheet so if you have a second, prep that while the first batch are in the oven. As you take them from the bowl, open each one up and dip in any dressing that’s sunk to the bottom of the bowl so you don’t leave any behind. Grill/broil for 3-4 minutes until just cooked. The size of the prawns will determine how long they take to cook but it’s easy to tell when they’re done - the meat will be opaque white.
Transfer to a platter. Serve with coriander leaves and wedges of lime for squeezing over and the remaining nam Jim sauce.
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Notes
Tablespoons: I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons). Check yours before measuring.
Prawns: I used the XXL tiger prawns which are about 13-15 per 500g/1.1lb. You can use any type of prawns/shrimp but the large ones are easier to butterfly cut. King prawns work great too. Jumbo prawns would be fantastic and meaty. The size of your prawns/shrimp will dictate the time required for cooking.
You can also cook them on a BBQ. Preheat to medium-high, then grill meat side down for 2-3 minutes, flip and grill a further 1-2 minutes.
Serves 4 as a meal or 6-7 as an appetiser.
Nutrition details are approximate only - scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
Calories: 317kcal
Author: Marie Roffey
Course: appetiser, Dinner
Cuisine: Thai
Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.