Skewered prawns (shrimp) glazed with a sticky soy are cooked over hot coals in this recipe from FIRE ISLANDS Recipes from Indonesia by Eleanor Ford. For serving, I used my favourite saté sauce recipe.
For the saté sauce, mince (very finely or in a food processor) an onion, 2 cloves of garlic, a chilli or two and a knob of ginger. Fry this mixture slowly in some oil until golden brown – this will take a long time but have patience! Now add at least ½ a cup of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon each of soy sauce and palm sugar, the juice of half a lemon and enough boiling water to make a sauce-like consistency. Continue to simmer for a few more minutes, adjusting the seasoning to taste with more soy, sugar or lemon juice as required. For the prawns, mix together 3 crushed cloves of garlic, 1-2 birdseye chillies, 2 tablespoons of light soy, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon of shaved dark brown palm sugar and ½ a teaspoon of crumbled roasted belacan (shrimp paste). Toss the prawns in the marinade and chill. Meanwhile, soak some bamboo skewers in water to prevent them burning and prepare the hot coals for cooking. When the coals are nearly ready for cooking, thread three prawns onto each double skewer (this prevents rotation and makes them easier to turn). Cook for 2-3 minutes a side, brushing with more marinade as you go. Serve hot with the saté sauce.
michelle picker cooks 