Taro-Crusted Prawns

Ingredients

Spicy Peanut Sauce

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• ¼ cup red curry paste
• 1 14.5-oz. can coconut milk
• ½ cup  peanut butter
• 3 Tbsp  rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce
• 3 Tbsp  honey
• Salt, to taste

Cilantro Crema

• 1 bunch cilantro, large stems removed and roughly chopped
• ½ cup mayo
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 lime juiced and zested

Prawns

• Neutral oil for deep frying
• 1 lb raw shrimp, P&D, Tail-On, 8-12 ct. (Superior Foods Featured Item: #9361 – (Harvest of the Sea)
• ¼  tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• ¾ cup corn starch
• Egg wash (2 eggs blended with a splash of water)
• Taro root, shredded (roughly 1 lb root)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

Spicy Peanut Sauce

1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium. Add curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, until paste begins to stick to bottom of saucepan and is very fragrant, 2–3 minutes.
2. Whisk in coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture turns darker in color and is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and whisk in peanut butter, vinegar, fish sauce, and honey. Season to taste with salt.  Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a squeeze bottle to chill.

Cilantro Crema

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth, and pour into a squeeze bottle.

Prawns

1. Heat frying oil to 350°F
2. Toss shrimp with baking soda and salt and let sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.
3. Prepare 3 bowls or shallow dishes with corn starch, egg wash, and shredded malanga root. Handling one prawn at a time, toss in corn starch, then egg wash, then malanga root. Allow excess corn starch and egg wash to fall/drip off in between each step. Set each breaded prawn on a prepared dish or sheet.
4. Fry in batches, to not overcrowd, for 2-3 minutes. Allow excess oil to drain, and then toss immediately  with a pinch of salt.
5. Prawns can be plated and drizzled with both the peanut and cilantro sauce.

Tips

Squeeze bottles aren’t necessary and are more for a specific finished look. Feel free to use the sauces as dips or just spooned over the prawns.

If you can’t find taro root try something more accessible like yuca, or even sweet potato.