Mozambique Prawns by Chef Manuel Azevedo

Mozambique Prawns
by chef Manuel Azevedo
LaSalette Restaurant, Sonoma, CA
Serves 6

This traditional dish from Mozambique, one of Portugal's former colonies, is the most requested item at LaSalette Restaurant. To mimic the heat of piri-piri, fiery hot peppers from Angola (another former colony), Chef Azevedo seasons the prawns with his own hot spice blend before grilling.


convert		Ingredients
		Sauce
		Shells from 2 pounds medium prawns (reserve prawns)
2 cups		tomato juice
1/2 cup		unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon		peanut butter
		hot-spice blend, to taste

		Coconut rice
2 cups		long grain rice
1 cup		coconut milk
3 cup		water

2		plantains, sliced thin on a diagonal
		Salt and white pepper to taste
3 tablespoons		vegetable oil
		Reserved prawns (from above)
		Hot-Spice Blend, to taste

		Garnish
		Chopped cilantro
		Roasted peanuts

Method

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the prawn shells, tomato juice, coconut milk and peanut butter. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Season with some hot spice blend to taste. Bring the mixture back to a boil and then pass it through a sieve; discard the shells.

2. In a large 2-quart saucepan, bring the rice, coconut milk and water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Take an occasional peek to make sure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom of the pan.

3. Season the plantains with salt and white pepper. In a large skillet heat the oil over medium-high heat and sautéthe plantains on both sides until brown and soft, about 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Season the prawns with some hot spice blend and cook them on an oiled grill or grill pan until heated through, about 7 to 10 minutes.

5. To serve, mound the rice in the middle of six warm plates and ladle the sauce around. Lay the shrimp against the rice mounds, place a plantain in between each shrimp and garnish with the peanuts and cilantro.