Prawn & watermelon skewers with tamarind sauce

Name: Prawn & watermelon skewers with tamarind sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 clove/s garlic, crushed or grated; 1 tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 unwaxed lime, zest; 360 g raw peeled king prawns; ½ mini watermelon; 25 g pack mint, leaves shredded

This tart, umami-rich dipping sauce is particularly impressive with watermelon and prawns, but it also works a treat alongside other grilled seafood, especially squid.

Recipe by Helen Graves

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Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare15 mins
Cook5 mins
Total time20 mins
Plusmarinating

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Ingredients

1 clove/s garlic, crushed or grated
1 tbsp vegetable or groundnut oil
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 unwaxed lime, zest
360g raw peeled king prawns
½ mini watermelon
¼ x 25g pack mint, leaves shredded

Dipping sauce

3 tbsp tamarind paste
1 Thai chilli, finely sliced (use half if you like it milder, or a pinch of chilli flakes)
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 clove/s garlic, crushed or grated to a paste
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp light soy sauce
½ lime, juice

Method

In a large bowl, combine the garlic, oil, fish sauce and lime zest with the prawns. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, light the barbecue. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes. Peel then slice the watermelon into 8 long wedges. Cut each into 2cm-thick slices.
Combine all the ingredients for the dipping sauce and adjust the taste – it should be sharp, spicy and slightly sweet. Thread the prawns and watermelon pieces onto the skewers (you will need 8-10), alternating and arranging them so the watermelon pieces lie flat. Cook on the grill over direct heat for 2 minutes or so on each side, until the watermelon is lightly charred and the prawns are uniformly pink and opaque. Scatter the skewers with the mint and serve with the tamarind dipping sauce.

Cook’s tip

You can also use 400g shell-on raw prawns here. Grill for a couple more minutes on each side, or until the shells are bright pink and the prawns are opaque and cooked through.