OT - Prawn recipes?

Hello, As some of you know, I do cooking and babysitting at my friend Keiko's on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She went shopping on Monday, and bought prawns for me to use on Thursdays. Usually I can just go in the kitchen, have a look at what she has, and come up with something. I'm not used to cooking with prawns though. I have every spice known to man, and thought I could do something like a curry (not too spicy, the kids are 2 years 3 months). Or...? Does anyone have a good recipe for prawns? These are the big ones, that are grey and turn pink when they're cooked for 3 or 4 minutes in a pan. Please help!

-- Jo in Scotland

Reply to
Johanna Gibson
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Nearly any recipe that calls for green shrimp will work for you. I am given to understand that in the UK, the word prawn could mean real prawns, or any number of varieties of shrimp, so I hesitate to offer a specific prawn recipe. Genuine prawns tend to be richer in flavor than the average shrimp.

With big ones you can do almost anything. I am rather fond of the oriental recipes myself, but my preferences run to the extremely spicy there. You could simply fry them up as you would fish, or saute them with garlic in a little olive oil to make scampi. Big ones you can butterfly and that might be easier for a toddler to eat.

Here is a simple recipe that I impressed a potential funding doner with once:

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Very simple, and the sort of thing children fancy IME. I cheated and fried in plain vegetable oil because I was out of peanut oil. I served it with a datamaki sauce, which is naught but a couple of tablespoons of soy, a couple tablespoons of dashi (any complimentary flavored stock will work) a tablespoon of brown sugar (muscavado is fine), and a few drops of sesame oil (or a dab of peanut butter if you haven't any sesame), all stirred together. My kids would eat datamaki sauce on darn near anything. Ash likes to dip flour tortillas in it.

Just make sure the mud stripe on you prawns is cut out.

NightMist a vegetarian who has picked seafood as the lesser evil for certain social situations

Reply to
NightMist

Looks good! Thanks! I've been making that soy sauce/sugar/sesame oil/stock thing for ages, and just didn't know the name. One of my secret weapons, especially with Oriental cuisine. I shall just make sure that Keiko has 6 eggs on hand. Oh, and I might just go retreat to the shed while I make this chicken soup that both cats think they NEED.. .... RIGHT NOW.....

-- Jo in Scotland

Reply to
Johanna Gibson

My DGD loves anything "Alfredo", I saute Shrimp (or chicken) in a combo of butter and olive oil with a whole crushed clove of garlic(optional), remove shrimp or chicken, add 1 c. heavy cream, 1/2 c. parmesean cheese, do not boil, add cooked pasta for young children I would use bowties, or even smaller pasta like ditalini or orzo, return shrimp or chicken to the mixture, Adjust salt and pepper, carefully since Parm cheese can be salty....can sprinkle with chopped parsley for color and/or add cooked carrots and peas..... Mauvice in Cnetral Wi

Reply to
Mauvice in central WI

Nothing like a good low fat recipe Mauvice. My dd really enjoys anything alfredo too. It is good stuff. These days she has to eat out to get alfredo. Your reipce sure sounds like good eats though!

Taria, my fat nazi personality coming out again.

Mauvice >

Reply to
Taria

Jo, those sound lovely. I make a prawn curry that isn't too spicy.

Prawn Curry peeled and de-veined raw prawns chopped onions Long green chilies, raw ones Coconut milk Curry spices to taste, I use one of several different curry powders, depending on what we have on hand. You can also use a mixture of Turmeric, chili powder, etc. Chopped/minced garlic.

Sauté the chopped onion in oil. While it is cooking, cut the chilies in half long ways. Remove the seeds and veins, and stem. Cut into 1-1 1/2" pieces. (Removing the seeds and veins takes out most of the "heat" so the remaining chili flavor is very mild. DO NOT use something like jalapeños for this. you want fairly mild long peppers. Could probably substitute bells and increase the curry powder a bit.) When the onion is translucent add the spices, and chiles. Cook for about a minute then add a can of unsweetened coconut milk and the prawns. Simmer gently until the prawns are done and the sauce thickens a bit. If your coconut milk is really thin, cook without the prawns until almost ready then add the prawns. Serve over rice, with chutney, peanuts, and such.

We love this dish, but don't often make it because of the cost of the shrimp/prawns. You also don't want to add too much spice because you want the flavor of the prawns to come through, not be overwhelmed.

Just remember that the prawns need to cook slowly, so they don't get rubbery. and don't over cook them either.

Another good dish is Scampi, sauté the shrimp in a garlic, olive oil, butter, mixture. (I add finely chopped onion to it too.) Add a bit of lemon/lime juice. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the juice.

Have fun, sounds like a great "job" to have, BTW.

Pati, in Phx

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Johanna Gibs> Hello,

Reply to
Pati Cook

It is a good job... the babies love me. As of July 20th, I've been helping for a year now. I think the triplets cannot remember "before Jo". It's like I've always been in their universe. They completely take me for granted as a result. They are more like nephews and a niece than my friend's kids. I don't know how much I'll be able to help this coming year, when I'm doing the Diploma course, but I will try to pop round to play with them even so... I don't want them to forget all their English!

-- Jo in Scotland

Reply to
Johanna Gibson

Are they used to curry? Children can be very conservative in their tastes. Just sauted and eaten as finger food would be fun, or put in a creamy sauce and poured over pasta.

You can tell I have had a past full of fussy children, including one visitor who would only eat baked beans if they were Heinz and nephew's children who ate only fish fingers or sausages. Mine were pretty good except for DS and vegetables, and DD when she went vegetarian and I had to ready hundreds of labels. She has recently returned to vegetarianism after a 15 year break, but at least she cooks for herself now!

Reply to
Sally Swindells

I make korma on a regular basis - a bit more creamy for them than for the adults - and they have the Japanese version of curry quite often for lunch. It is quite mild too - it seems to be a bit of cumin and a bit of paprika basically, in a slightly tomato flavoured sauce.

-- Jo in Scotland

Reply to
Johanna Gibson

Sounds yummy - can I come too.

Reply to
Sally Swindells

Thanks for the sauce ideas, Nightmist. I have always settled for a rice wine vinegar/soy sauce/ginger/garlic dipping sauce, but yours sounds much better.

Reply to
Carolyn McCarty

Mmmmmmmmmmmm.......!

Reply to
Carolyn McCarty

I don't know if prawns will work in these, and I don't have the recipes anyway, but I thought I'd mention the two best shrimp dishes I've had recently.

First is the Quesadilla Fajitas Shrimp from Pancho Villa

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) which they describe on themenu as "A large grilled flour tortilla stuffed with grilled shrimp,onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and cheese." They use the white Mexicancheese, which my wife doesn't like but I do. The shrimp are juicy andjust burst in your mouth when you bite them. Vary tasty. Second is the Shrimp Fra Diavolo from Castiglia's in downtown Fredericksburg, VA. Only six shrimp, but they and the sauce are delicious and served on a platter of pasta. Yum! I couldn't find a web site for them other than reviews and guides.

I hope this give you some more ideas at least. :) JA

Reply to
John A.

I discovered I misspelled "datemaki" Datemaki sauce is just what we call at my house, where it is very favored for vegetarian datemaki, egg strands, and all manner of oriental omelettey goodness.

NightMist

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Reply to
NightMist

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