Prawn Kebabs

Name: Prawn Kebabs
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (60ml); 1 clove garlic, crushed; 1 teaspoon Lebanese 7 Spice (baharat); 1 teaspoon salt flakes, crushed; ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper; 6 large green prawns; 6 metal skewers (or bamboo soaked in water for 30 minutes); Lemon cheek, for serving; Salad, for serving; Lebanese bread, for serving; Labneh, hummus or baba ghanoush, for serving (optional)

I like to leave the shells on when I’m grilling prawn kebabs as they protect the flesh and keep it juicy and tender. They’re a bit messy to eat this way so ensure you have large serviettes, finger bowls, plus bowls for the shells on the table. Licking the marinade off your fingers is half the fun and I know a few people who enjoy sucking the tomalley out of the prawn heads too! You don’t have to skewer the prawns before cooking them, but turning them into prawn kebabs keeps them nice and straight.

Serves 2

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (60ml)
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon Lebanese 7 Spice (baharat)
1 teaspoon salt flakes, crushed
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper
6 large green prawns
6 metal skewers (or bamboo soaked in water for 30 minutes)
Lemon cheek, for serving
Salad, for serving
Lebanese bread, for serving
Labneh (see video below), hummus or baba ghanoush, for serving (optional)

Method

Combine oil, garlic, 7 Spice, salt and Aleppo pepper.
Put half of it in a shallow container large enough to hold the prawns in a single layer.
Place a prawn on its back on the chopping board and cut through the belly, down to the shell without cutting through the shell.
Press it open and remove digestive tract, leaving behind any orange roe.
Place in the marinade cut side down, pressing it into the marinade.
Repeat with remaining prawns then drizzle the rest of the marinade over them.
Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
Remove prawns from the fridge 20 minutes or so before cooking.
Preheat a barbecue or char-grill pan to medium–high.
Meanwhile, rub cut side of prawns into marinade then thread each one lengthways, from tail to head, onto a skewer.
Place on barbecue or char-grill, brush with marinade and cook for 2–3 minutes each side, until just cooked through.
Serve prawn kebabs with a lemon cheek, salad and Lebanese bread, plus labneh, hummus, and/or baba ghanoush if you like.