Camarão Grelhado (Grilled Piri Piri Prawns)

About This Recipe

Mozambique's coastline stretches for nearly 2,500 kilometres along the Indian Ocean, and its warm waters yield some of the finest king and tiger prawns in the world. Grilled piri piri prawns are the undisputed star of Mozambican coastal cuisine, cooked simply over charcoal and lavished with a fiery, buttery, garlicky baste that allows the superb quality of the prawns to shine. The dish is a fixture of beach restaurants in Maputo, Inhambane, and Tofo, where they are served straight from the grill with lemon and crusty bread. The combination of Portuguese culinary technique and African piri piri chilli makes this dish completely unique.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 kglarge king prawns or tiger prawns, shell-on, butterflied
• 100 gunsalted butter
• 4 clovesgarlic, finely minced
• 3bird's eye chillies, finely minced (adjust to taste)
• 2 tbsplemon juice
• 1 tsplemon zest
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspsweet paprika
• 2 tbspfresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Make piri piri butter

   Melt butter in a small pan over low heat. Add garlic and chillies and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt, and paprika. Set aside.

2. 2

   Butterfly the prawns

   Using scissors or a sharp knife, cut along the back of each prawn shell and open it out flat (butterfly). Remove the dark vein. Leave the shells on for extra flavour.

3. 3

   Preheat grill

   Heat a charcoal grill, barbecue, or cast-iron griddle pan to very high heat — you want maximum heat for quick cooking.

4. 4

   Grill prawns

   Brush the flesh side of the prawns generously with piri piri butter. Place flesh-side down on the grill and cook for 2–3 minutes. Flip, brush with more butter, and cook for another 1–2 minutes until the shells are charred and the flesh is just cooked through.

5. 5

   Baste and serve

   Transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with remaining piri piri butter and scatter with fresh parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Variations

• •

  Use the same piri piri butter on lobster tails for a special occasion.

• •

  Add a tablespoon of coconut milk to the butter for a creamier, sweeter baste.

• •

  Serve over xima for a classic Mozambican surf-and-starch combination.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftover cooked prawns keep refrigerated for 1 day; use in pasta or salads.

Frequently Asked Questions