Grilled prawns with garam masala butter

This combination of garlicky garam masala butter and hot grilled prawns is a winner, said Genevieve Taylor. When grilling unpeeled prawns, I always "butterfly" them by scoring the shell. To do this, rest a prawn on a board with the back facing your dominant cutting hand. Press firmly down with your other hand to tension the body and, using a sharp knife, slice through the shell a few millimetres into the flesh. Once all the prawns are scored, use a finger to wipe out the vein running just inside the cut.

Ingredients

• 1kg large, raw shell-on prawns 
• 1 tbsp flaked sea salt

For the garam masala butter:

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• 2 tbsp coriander seeds 
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 2cm piece of cinnamon stick, crumbled 
• 1 tsp black peppercorns 
• 10 cardamon pods 
• 5 cloves
• 125g butter 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

For the garnish:

• a little chopped coriander 
• sliced red chilli

Method

• Fire up the barbecue until it is ready for hot direct grilling.
• Tip the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamon and cloves into a flameproof frying pan (one that is generous enough to fit the prawns) and set over the fire to toast for a couple of minutes. Tip the lot into a spice mill or pestle and mortar and grind to a powder.
• Set the pan back over the fire and drop in the butter, allowing it to melt. Once melted, slide the pan off the heat and add the garlic and garam masala, stirring together to combine. Leave to one side to keep warm while you grill the prawns.
• I always cook smaller things like prawns on a grill tray as you can essentially stir-fry them, tossing them about a bit, which is way easier than individually turning each prawn. If you don't have one, it’s fine – it’s just a little more of a fiddle with the tongs.
• Make sure the barbecue is really hot – take the lid off to allow for maximum oxygen flow. Spread the prawns out over the fire, either on a grill tray or directly on the grill bars, and sprinkle over the salt. Cook for a couple of minutes before turning and cooking for another minute or two – they are done when they are pink all over.
• Scoop up and add to the pan of spiced butter, tossing to coat. Sprinkle with coriander and chilli and serve straight away.

Taken from Scorched: the Ultimate Guide to Barbecuing Fish by Genevieve Taylor, published by Quadrille at £25.

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