I feel like prawns really don’t require much effort to dress up. I prefer this grilled version so no flavour is lost in a pan. If you’re cooking for a large family, grilling also involves less clean-up and prep time. A final drizzle of lemon butter sauce elevates this dish. 

INGREDIENTS

1kg queen prawns, with or without the heads

(This will depend on your preference. I feel like the heads add flavour so I usually keep them on.)

1 ½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric

1 tbsp crushed green chillies

3 level tbsps ground garlic 

3 tbsps mayonnaise

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp black pepper

Juice of 1 lemon

½ cup butter, cubed

METHOD
Preheat oven to 180°C.

Sprinkle prawns with chilli powder, turmeric, green chilli, ground garlic, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper and lemon juice.

Mix thoroughly, ensuring that all the prawns are well-coated.

You might be more comfortable making a paste first and dipping each prawn into it.

Cube butter and place over a single layer of prawns in an oven-proof tray.

Place prawns in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Then, turn up the heat and grill for a further 10 minutes.

Serve with savoury rice, lemon butter sauce, garlic bread and chips.

LEMON BUTTER SAUCE
INGREDIENTS

125g butter

1 heaped tsp ground garlic

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp mixed herbs

½ tsp salt

2 tbsps lemon juice

125ml fresh cream 

METHOD
Melt the butter in a small pot.

Add the garlic and spices and stir until combined.

Stir in the lemon juice. Lastly, add the fresh cream while stirring. Allow the sauce to thicken and remove from the heat. 

SAVOURY RICE
INGREDIENTS

1 carrot, cubed

1 tomato, cubed

½ red pepper, cubed

½ green pepper, cubed

1 onion, cubed

½ tsp ground garlic

½ tsp ground red chilli

1 tbsp finely chopped coriander 

2 tbsps Spice for Rice seasoning

1 tsp salt

2 tbsps butter

1 ½ cup uncooked rice

METHOD
Boil the rice in salted water until almost fully-cooked. Drain and set aside.

In a pan, sauté the onion in butter. Add the carrot, peppers, and tomato and cook until slightly softened. Add the seasoning.

Stir into the rice and return the rice to the stove to steam on the lowest setting. 

Fluff the rice and stir in the coriander.

ABOUT THE CHEF

Naqiyah Mayat is a connoisseur of luxury, elegance and beauty. Not only a wife and mother of four, Naqiyah is a sought out tastemaker in the Indian and Muslim community and a style force to be reckoned with. After much anticipation Naqiyah’s debut recipe book, The Beginning, gives the newlywed, starter cook and Indian food fan everything they need to make authentic, flavour-filled Indian cuisine.