Mozambique Prawns

FolkDiva's Note:

Mozambique Prawns (traditional dish from Mozambique, one of Portugal's former colonies) by chef Manuel Azevedo of LaSalette Restaurant, Sonoma, CA. Posted for Zaar World Tour 5.....can not wait to try this one....looks scrumptous!!!

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 6

Yield: 6.0

Sauce

• shells from 2 pounds medium prawns (reserve prawns)
• 2 cups tomato juice
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• hot spice blend , to taste

Coconut rice

• 2 cups long grain rice
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 cups water
• 2 plantains , sliced thin on a diagonal
• salt and white pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 lbs prawns (shelled, reserved from above)
• hot spice blend , to taste

Garnish

• chopped cilantro
• roasted peanuts

Hot Spice Blend

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon chili powder (see NOTE)
• 1 pinch cayenne (or more)
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 pinch allspice

Directions:

1. Prepare Hot Spice Blend. In a small bowl mix together the ingredients. If not using immediately, store the blend in a small spice jar away from light and heat. NOTE: Use pure chili powder, not Mexican chili powder used to season chili con carne; the ingredients will lend the wrong flavor to the blend.
2. Prepare Sauce. In a medium saucepan, combine the prawn shells, tomato juice, coconut milk and peanut butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Season with some hot spice blend to taste. Bring the mixture back to a boil and then pass it through a sieve; discard the shells.
3. Prepare Rice. In a large 2-quart saucepan, bring the rice, coconut milk and water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Take an occasional peek to make sure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Prepare Plantains. Season the plantains with salt and white pepper. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat and sautéthe plantains on both sides until brown and soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Prepare Prawns. Season the prawns with some hot spice blend and cook them on an oiled grill or grill pan until heated through, about 7 to 10 minutes.
6. To serve, mound the rice in the middle of six warm plates and ladle the sauce around. Lay the shrimp against the rice mounds, place a plantain in between each shrimp and garnish with the peanuts and cilantro.

Reviews

[MarraMamba]

ohh folk diva, these are sublime! Not nearly as complicated as it looks at first sight either. Delicious

[Chef Kate]

Loved it! Did everything as instructed, except (there's always an "except" LOL) toned down the heat in the spice blend. I halved the recipe and the result was a perfect amount for the three of us at dinner. I shaped the rice in timbale molds, and placed the rice on top of a pool of sauce and then surrounded the rice with the shrimp and plantains as directed. This was very simple to put together and the result is a very elegant dish.