Sesame Prawns with Sour Green Mango Salad
At first glance these eye-catching chile peppers look like red jalapeno. However, they have a different flavor and are less meaty than Jalapeno. Red Fresnos are great roasted and added to salsas. Try grilling them alongside your steaks or in kabobs.
When roasting these they should char, blister, and become soft. Try substituting these in your favorite chile recipes.
Ingredients:
For the Sesame Prawns:
16 raw prawns
1 sour green mango, available from Asian stores
1 cucumber
4 Tbsp. flour
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
ons black sesame seeds
3 Tbsp. Japanese panko breadcrumbs 3 Tbsp. white sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. black sesame seeds
sunflower or vegetable oil for deep frying
1 bunch mizuna (or young, tender arugula leaves), picked, washed and drained
3 Tbsp. Nuoc Cham (below), plus extra for serving, if desired
1 large red Fresno chile pepper, cut in half lengthwise, deseeded, and finely sliced
For the Nuac Cham dipping sauce:
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 oz. superfine sugar
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 large red Fresno chile peppers, cut in half, deseeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about one large lemon)
Instructions:
To prepare the shrimp:
Peel the prawns, leaving on the tail shells for garnish. Cut a lengthwise slit through the center, keeping the prawns attached at the tops and bottoms. Devein the shrimp and gently pull the tails through the slits creating a twisted appearance. Refrigerate, covered, until needed.
Peel and shred the mango into long, thin strips. Then peel and cut the cucumber into strips. Combine the two in a large bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, egg whites and soy sauce. Combine the sesame seeds and panko breadcrumbs in a third bowl.
Toss the prawns in the flour-egg mixture and toss them in the breadcrumb mixture to coat completely.
Heat the oil, and when hot, deep-fry the prawns for about 1 minute, then drain on paper towels.
To serve:
Arrange the mizuna leaves around a serving dish. In a bowl, combine the mango and cucumber with the Nuoc Cham and chile pepper, then arrange in a pile on top of the leaves. Place the prawns around the garnish, tails facing outward, which to makes them easier to pick up and adds to the presentation. Serve with extra Nuoc Cham in dipping bowls, if desired. The sauce will keep for at least one week, covered, in the refrigerator. For best results, it should be made at least one day in advance to allow the flavors of the chiles and garlic to infuse the liquid.
To make the Nuac Cham sauce:
In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, warm (do not boil) the fish sauce, water, vinegar, sugar, garlic and chiles. When the sauce becomes moderately hot, about 140F, remove from the heat and cool completely. Stir in the lemon juice.
Recipe by Mark Read, adapted from Lemongrass and Lime (Ten Speed Press, 2001).