Quick Thai Grilled Prawns Recipe
Prawn to be wild
What makes quick Thai Grilled Prawns Recipe special?
You’ll love how easy this Thai grilled prawns recipe is – just a handful of ingredients, a hot pan, and fragrant kaffir lime for bold Thai flavour in 5 minutes.
You’ll love it if…
… if you crave fresh, citrusy seafood that tastes like a Thai beach holiday in under 5 minutes.
When you say something is shrimpy, you mean that they are small and insignificant – puny, runty, little, small. That’s probably because when you take the shells off prawns and cook them, they become tiny. Much like spinach where you’ve bought two kilograms of fresh leaves – and after cooking it you’re left with half a mouthful.
But when you add ‘Tiger’ or ‘King’ in front of the prawn you never think puny. These are master prawns, they make all the other prawns look shrimpy. When you leave the shell on and give them a quick pan grilling, they stay giant, tigery, kingly. And when you add easy Thai flavours like chillies, lashings of garlic and kaffir lime, you too feel like a fearsome kitchen tiger, a culinary king.
Feel like a king – treat yourself to these mighty prawns.
Gather the Ingredients
and Sear the Prawns
Heat a pan on high until smoking, then add oil and whole shell-on prawns. Sear without moving for a minute before flipping.
Add Flavour and Cook Through
Add all remaining ingredients except the lime. Stir on high heat for several minutes until the prawns are fully cooked.
Finish and Serve
Turn off the heat, squeeze in fresh lime juice, toss to combine, and serve hot. Enjoy as-is or with sauces like lemon butter, sriracha, sweet chilli, or green Thai seafood sauce.
- Keep the shell on while grilling. It helps the prawns stay juicy and adds great smoky flavour from the grill.
- Don’t overcook the prawns. They only need a couple of minutes per side – pull them off the heat as soon as they curl and turn opaque.
- Use a mix of dried and fresh chillies if you like heat. Dried ones add a smoky kick, while fresh chillies keep it bright and punchy. Reduce the number of chillies if you want a less spicy dish.
Thai Grilled Prawns with kaffir lime
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Put a pan on the highest heat setting, once it starts smoking add 2 tablespoons cooking oil and 1 kilo large whole shell on prawns. Let them sizzle for a minute before turning them over.
- Add all the other ingredients except for the lime (½ cup sliced garlic, 4-5 chopped dried red chillies, 1 tablespoon black pepper, and 10-15 kaffir lime leaves)
- After a minute start mixing it with a spoon and keep mixing it while it’s on high heat for 4-5 minutes until the prawns are cooked.
- Turn off the heat and squeeze tbe juice of 1 lime into the pan and toss to mix thoroughly.
- Serve and enjoy.
- You can eat this on its own, or with lemon butter, sriracha, nam jim (Thai dipping sauce) or sweet chilli sauce. The chef has served it with green Thai seafood sauce.
Video
FAQ
King prawns with the shell on are ideal because the shell helps lock in moisture and adds flavour when grilled. If you’re using peeled prawns, make sure they’re large and leave the tails on for a bit of texture and grip. They’ll cook faster, so reduce the grill time slightly – about 1–2 minutes per side. If using smaller prawns, be extra careful not to overcook them, they go from juicy to rubbery fast.
Yes, if kaffir lime leaves are unavailable, lime zest is a suitable substitute. While kaffir lime leaves have a unique citrusy aroma, lime zest can provide a similar brightness to the dish. Use the zest of one lime as a replacement for a couple of kaffir lime leaves.
To prevent sticking, ensure the grill is clean and well-oiled before cooking. Pat the prawns dry and lightly coat them with oil. Preheating the grill to a high temperature also helps create a non-stick surface.
arrange the prawns in a single layer and avoid overcrowding the grill. Cook them for about 2–3 minutes per side until they turn pink and opaque.
What to Serve with this Thai Grilled Prawns recipe
