Shrimp skewers with a heat wave salad of tomatoes, lime and crispy chili peppers recipe

Shrimp skewers with a heat wave salad of tomatoes, lime and crispy chili peppers recipe

l cravings lime and smoky chilli when it’s hot so I decided to make shrimp kebabs there with a layer of smoked paprika and smoked garlic granules, and finish with some lime zest. A tomato salad with a dressing of more lime and crispy chili oil, along with a drizzle of fish sauce, rice vinegar and sesame oil was the perfect accompaniment.

Serves

4

Preparation time

20 minutes

Cooking time

15 minutes

Ingredients

For the shrimp

  • 300 g raw peeled king prawns
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp smoked garlic granules
  • 1 tsp salt flakes
  • 8-10 small skewers
  • Olive oil, a little for frying
  • The zest of 2 limes

For the tomato salad

  • 6-8 medium tomatoes (depending on their size)
  • 3 spring onions, sliced
  • 2 tsp crispy chili oil, plus a little extra to serve (I use Lao Gan Ma brand)
  • The juice of 2 limes, plus a few lime wedges to serve
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp fish sauce
  • A large handful of coriander, roughly chopped

Method

  1. Place the shrimp in a large bowl. Add the smoked paprika, garlic and salt and mix well with your hands so that all the shrimp are well coated. Slide them onto the skewers – I use the ones that are about 10cm long and hold 4-5 prawns well. Let stand while you make the salad.
  2. Cut the tomatoes into quarters or sixes, depending on how coarse they are. Place them in a large bowl with the spring onions. In a separate small bowl (or I sometimes use a jar with a lid), combine the dressing ingredients – the crispy chilli oil, lime, sesame, rice vinegar and fish sauce. Mix well, then pour over the tomatoes and mix well with your hands. Let stand while you cook the shrimp.
  3. Place a large skillet over medium heat with just a splash of oil. When the oil is hot, fry the shrimp in batches. I find they take about two minutes on each side, sometimes a little less if the shrimp aren’t huge, but just cook them until they have a nice crust and pink blush.
  4. Place the shrimp skewers on a plate and sprinkle with a little lemon zest.
  5. Add the coriander to the tomato salad and toss everything one last time. Place the tomatoes on a plate and pour the dressing over them. It will collect at the edges – make sure you have good bread handy to mop up. Finish with an extra spoonful of crispy chili oil and serve with lime wedges.