GRILLED RED CHILI PRAWNS WITH GREEN PAPAYA SALAD

GRILLED RED CHILI PRAWNS WITH GREEN PAPAYA SALAD 1 (4 oz.) can Thai red curry paste 1 stalk lemon grass, cut into pieces 2 c. vegetable oil 8 to 12 jumbo prawns with shells 1 sm. green papaya, peeled, seeded and cut into julienne strips 2 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and cut into julienne strips 1 sm. red-hot finger pepper, sliced open, seeds removed and minced 6 long beans, blanched, drained and 2 of them cut into 1-inch pieces 1 tbsp. sugar 1 garlic clove, minced 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp. rice-wine vinegar 2 tbsp. Vietnamese fish sauce (available at Oriental markets)

Marinate the shrimp. In a food processor, puree curry paste, lemon grass and oil. Pour over shrimp, cover tightly and refrigerate for 24 hours. Prepare the salad. In a bowl, combine papaya, tomatoes, finger pepper and cut-up long beans. Reserve whole long beans apart. In a small bowl, combine sugar, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar and fish sauce. Stir well, toss with salad ingredients, cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Portion the salad onto 4 plates. Remove shrimp from the marinade and grill or broil until firm but not dry, about 3 minutes per side. Arrange cooked prawns on top of salad. Garnish each portion with a long bean, tied into a knot. Makes 4 appetizer servings.

#chili #prawns #greenpapaya #papaya #salad #slaai