Cook Along with Chef Deniz: Lemongrass Prawn Skewers with Crushed Cucumber Salad and Nuoc Cham Dressing

Lemongrass Prawn Skewers with Crushed Cucumber Salad and Nuoc Cham Dressing

By Chef Deniz Tarakcioglu

June 17th, 2021

Ingredients:

• 12 21-25 ethically sourced prawns, peeled and deveined
• 1 stalk of lemongrass
• 3 kefir lime leaves, thinly sliced
• 20mL ginger, puréed
• 20mL garlic, puréed
• 1 lime, halved
• 1 English cucumber
• 50mL daikon radish, small diced
• 10 mint leaves
• 5 cilantro stalks
• 100mL fish sauce
• 1 lime, juice and zest
• 1 Thai bird's eye chili (optional), thinly sliced
• 30mL sugar

Instructions:

• Remove the tender part of the lemongrass stalk and finely slice. Use the fibrous part of the stalk to make skewers. In a medium sized bowl, combine prawns, garlic, ginger and lime leaves, and marinate for 5 minutes. Using a small sized sauce pot, crush the cucumber and cut into random chunks, and add a pinch on salt. In another small bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice and zest, sugar and chili (if using). Add cucumber, juices and cilantro to the bowl of the dressing and the marinade. Heat up a grill grate or a grill on high heat until very hot. Skewer the prawns on lemongrass stalks, season lightly with salt and grill for about 1.5 minutes per side. Toss the cucumber salad and drain the liquid in a dipping bowl. Serve with prawns.