GREEN PEPPERCORN PRAWNS & GINGERED CUCUMBERS

I finally went this weekend and bought a couple calendars. One for the kitchen and one for work. The kitchen one was appropriately all about (hot) peppers. Although there were a couple other food related ones, I picked the chili pepper one as it had recipes for each month. Flipping through there are quite a few that I want to make. These two recipes are just the start.

The shrimp were quite good, but didn’t seem as hot as I expected. I used fresh green peppercorns (opposed to their brined) and they can be quite pungent and strong. It was also quite saucy and would have been excellent on rice. I served with salad tossed in a quick, homemade sesame vinaigrette and the quick pickled gingered cucumbers.

I loved the quick pickles and they were quite “pickle’y” for only sitting for an hour.

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Green Peppercorn Prawns

Ingredients

• 2 lbs prawns peeled and devained (or fresh calamari rings)
• 2 tbsp fresh peppercorns mostly crushed with mortar and pestal
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/2 tsp ginger peeled and grated
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1/4 cup shallots diced
• 6-8 kaffir lime leaves sliced thin (or 2 tsp lime zest)
• 3 plum tomatoes cored and diced
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp canola oil

Instructions

• Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
• Place prawns in a bowl with the lime juice and crushed peppercorns, toss to mix, and set aside.
• Put the garlic, ginger, and shallots together in a small bowl and set aside.
• Put the tomatoes, kaffir leaves (or lime zest) and chili flakes in another bowl and set aside.
• Heat the canola oil in a wok on high heat.
• Add the garlic/ginger/shallots and saute for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato mix bowl and saute for another 2 minutes.
• Add the sauce mix and prawns and saute until the prawns are pink and cooked through.
• Garnish with cilantro if preferred, give a squeeze of lime, and serve.

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Gingered Cucumbers

Ingredients

• 1/2 large English cucumber 1 cup worth, peeled and cut into 1/4" x 2" strips
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ginger peeled and grated
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tbsp sugar Or 1/2 tsp Stevia
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

• Take the 2 tsp of salt and sprinkle over the cucumbers, set in a bowl and put aside for half to one hour.
• Mix the other ingredients in a bowl.
• Drain the cucumbers, squeeze gently to extract liquid and pat dry with paper towels.
• Put in bowl with dressing and toss to coat.
• Set aside for about 20 minutes at room temperature / 1 hour in the fridge.

Notes

I like cold pickles / cucumbers, so marinated longer in the fridge, rather than their recommended 20 minutes at room temp.

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