Butter Prawn with Grated Coconut

In this recipe, other than prawn, the key ingredient of this dish is curry leaf. Highly aromatic in nature, the exotic scent of these dark green leaves saturates coconut milk based curries with rich fragrance and perks up seafood dishes such as Butter Prawn and Black Pepper Crab.

The other key ingredient are the toasted kerisik (grated coconut) - it's killer in taste! It reveals layer upon layer of complex flavors–buttery, salty, sweet, spicy, and garlicky working off one another seamlessly and perfectly.

The combination taste is simply heavenly.

Ingredients:
• 500gm large prawns
• Oil for deep frying
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 bird’s eye chilies (chopped)
• 3 sprigs of curry leaves (use only the leaves)
• 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (rice wine preferred)
• 6 tablespoons of grated coconut (dry fried until golden brown)

Method:
1. Leave the prawn heads and shells on but chop off the eyes part. Slit down the back to remove the veins. Pat dry.

2. Heat oil, deep fry the prawns, drain and set aside.

3. Melt the butter, add bird’s eye chilies, curry leaves, garlic, salt and fry for 2 minutes or until fragrant.

4. Add prawns, sugar, soy sauce, wine, and grated coconut. Cook over high heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from “The Food of Malaysia: Authentic Recipes from the Crossroads of Asia.”