With its use of olive oil and butter with tamarind and soy sauce this Warm Prawn and Tomato Salad is a little bit western and a little bit eastern. It satisfyingly ticks the boxes for rich, sweet, sour and umami tastes. Its success, however, is dependent upon full-flavoured tomatoes and the freshest of prawns.
It’s perfect for an entree or part of a selection for an Asian influenced dinner. And by doubling or tripling the recipe it’s a good dish for feeding a large number people.
Caren
WARM PRAWN AND TOMATO SALAD WITH TAMARIND DRESSING
Serves 4 as an entree
3-4 prawns per person, shelled and deveined
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon chilli flakes
50 gm butter
800 gm ripe tomatoes
2 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
For the dressing:
45 gm palm sugar, grated
75 ml water
2 tablespoons tamarind puree
60 ml g-f soy sauce
80 ml extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
1 slice of fresh ginger
Marinate the prawns in the garlic, olive oil and chilli flakes for at least 10 minutes.
Make the dressing by first combining the palm sugar and water in a small saucepan, crushing the sugar to ensure it dissolves. Simmer until it starts to thicken into a syrup. Remove from the heat and whisk in the tamarind, soy sauce, virgin olive oil and salt until emulsified. Add the ginger and set aside until required.
Slice the tomatoes thickly and arrange on a serving platter or individual plates.
Heat the butter in a large fry pan, tip in the prawns and the marinade and sauté the prawns until just turning pink. (If you are doubling the recipe you may need to do the sautéing in batches or use 2 fry pans.)
Spoon the prawns and their cooking juices over the tomatoes. Remove the ginger from the dressing and pour it over the prawns and garnish with the spring onions. Serve immediately.