Mozambican Peri-Peri Prawns

Zurie's Note:

POSTED FOR ZWT 4: Getting the REAL peri-peri oil recipe is a pain in the backside, and you never really find it. This is the nearest to the real thing, I think, but I don't take responsibility!! You won't have peri-peri peppers, so any hot red peppers, fresh or dried, will do. Ready-made Peri-peri oil can be bought where I am. The longer you can steep this oil, the better! The Moz prawns (shrimps) are large and straight from the ocean, and are only slit through the back shell and the vein removed. Then they're butterflied, brushed well with the oil, and fried or grilled just until they curl up and turn pink. There are other similar recipes. Mozambique prawns are really the only prawns to use! I HAD to guess the weight of the prawns -- use as many as you think you have peri-peri for.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

• 3 -4 lbs shrimp , large, shells and head on (Mozambican prawns)
• 1 ½ cups oil (your choice)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons garlic , minced and crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 -12 dried hot peppers (African peri-peri peppers are called for)
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

1. Wash the prawns/shrimps and pat dry. Cut open the backs and remove the dark vein. Kitchen scissors work best. Do not remove the shells. Then cut down gently and slightly butterfly the prawns.
2. The oil: start the day before, which is best. (Even the week before!)
3. You may need to remove seeds from the dried peppers, and then chop them up. Regulate the heat by using more or less!
4. Heat the oil gently, do not boil. Use groundnut or sunflower oil, not olive.
5. Add all the other ingredients except the prawns. Don't boil. Take off heat, cool, and save in a clean bottle.
6. Steep as long as you have time. The oil should colour to a pleasant reddish colour.
7. To cook, either put the prepared prawns in a large bowl, add the oil, stir well, and let marinade for 30 minutes up to 3 hours, in the fridge.
8. Bake or grill in a hot oven -- 350 deg F/180 deg C, or use your oven grill. Do NOT overcook: they turn pink when done.
9. Scoop up with a slotted spoon so the oil drips off, and you can also briefly drain them on scrunched-up kitchen paper.
10. Serve in a heap on a hot platter -- with plenty of wet cloths for hands and dipping bowls for fingers! Usually served with rice and some kind of fresh bread. This is not a dish for dainty eating. Use your hands.
11. Immensely popular in Maputo, where most of us will find out way to the famous old Costa do Sol restaurant on the sea, a few kilometres up north from Maputo, and order peri-peri prawns -- !

Reviews

[realbirdlady]

This one really didn't work out for me. I used dried thai peppers, which are comparable in heat to peri peri. But after five days, I didn't have any pepper taste in the oil. I tried again with chipotle, but only had a day to steep, so just got some faint flavor. I went ahead and cooked in a hot over (450F), for five minutes. The recipe might be easier to follow if the steps were in order (make the oil first, don't butterfly the shrimp until time to put them in to marinate), and the note about oil types was in the ingredient list.

[French Tart]

I made the oil with peri peri peppers that you sent me a year or so ago......I still have them! I also used the Peri-Peri sauce you sent me to dip the prawns in - wow, a DOUBLE peri-peri whammy! I started my oil off as soon as I picked this recipe to make for Zingo - that was 10 days ago - it was FABULOUS and fully infused - thanks for the side recipe for this oil. We ate these with a grilled vegetable salad and corn on the cob for a super healthy low carb meal - and out on the terrace in the sunshine! I have taken photos which I will upload over the weekend......a brilliant classic African recipe and one that I will be keeping. Thanks again Zuri - your recipes always bring a bit of African spark to our dining table. FT:-)

[AmandaInOz]

Very tasty prawn recipe! I served this with some Nando's hot peri-peri sauce for dipping. The recipe is well worth the effort. Thanks Zurie! Made for ZWT 4.