INGREDIENTS
6 large raw king prawns, shelled, deveined, heads and tails intact
2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/4 cup (50g) raw or coconut sugar 50g dried shrimp, blitzed to a fine powder
30g dried chillies, soaked in hot water until softened, then drained
60g long red chillies, roughly chopped
60g shrimp paste, wrapped in foil and briefly toasted in a dry pan
200g red shallots, roughly chopped
50g garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tsp ground anise myrtle
2 tsp ground cinnamon myrtle
30g ground coriander
50g native lemongrass, roughly chopped
30g native ginger, roughly chopped
30g young galangal, roughly chopped
4cm piece of fresh turmeric, roughly chopped, or 1 tsp ground turmeric
100ml vegetable oil
Satay sauce
1 cup (250ml) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (50g) raw or brown sugar
60g native tamarind pulp
1 3/4 cups (440ml) macadamia milk
2 cups whole shelled macadamias, roasted then coarsely ground
Fish sauce, to taste
METHOD
1. For the macadamias: Pre-heat the oven to 120°C fan-forced, and line a baking tray with baking paper. Place the macadamias on the baking tray and roast in the oven for 120 minutes (2 hours). This low-and-slow method ensures an even butterscotch colour, perfectly developed flavour and a delicious crunch. Allow the nuts to cool completely before storing in a sealed container for up to 3 months.
2. For the prawns: In a bowl, combine the prawns with the fish sauce and sugar. Put all the remaining ingredients (except those for the satay sauce) into a blender or food processor and blitz to a smooth paste. Stir half of this paste through the prawns, making sure they are well coated. Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours – flavour develops over time!
3. To make the satay sauce, fry the remaining paste in the oil, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t catch or burn, for 5–8 minutes or until fragrant. Carefully add the sugar and 2 cups (500ml) of water and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cook over low-medium heat until it ‘splits’: a rich, spicy oil should begin to seep out of the mixture. At this point, stir through the tamarind pulp, macadamia milk and ground macadamias, and cook until thickened. Season with fish sauce to taste – the satay sauce should be sweet, salty, sour and spicy.
4.Skewer the marinated prawns (reserving the marinade in the bowl) and cook on a chargrill pan or over charcoal, basting them with the reserved marinade, for 5 minutes or until cooked through. Serve the prawn skewers with plenty of satay sauce alongside.