Grilled Mozambican Peri-Peri Prawns with Coconut Rice and Fresh Lime

Make the peri-peri marinade by blending the garlic, chilies, lime juice, olive oil, smoked paprika and salt into a loose paste.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb large prawns, shell-on, deveined
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 red bird's-eye chilies, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1.5 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 tsp salt, for the rice
• Fresh cilantro and lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Make the peri-peri marinade by blending the garlic, chilies, lime juice, olive oil, smoked paprika and salt into a loose paste.
2. Toss the prawns with half the marinade and let them sit while you cook the rice, reserving the rest for basting.
3. Combine the rinsed rice, coconut milk, water and salt in a pot, bring to a gentle boil, then cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes until fluffy.
4. Remove the rice from the heat and let it steam, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
5. Heat a grill or grill pan to high and lay the prawns down in a single layer.
6. Grill the prawns 2 to 3 minutes per side, basting with the reserved marinade, until the shells char and the flesh turns opaque.
7. Pile the coconut rice onto a platter and arrange the blistered prawns on top.
8. Scatter with cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
9. Peri-peri, brought to Mozambique through Portuguese and African trade routes, is the fiery heartbeat of the country's coastal cooking. Paired with mellow coconut rice, these grilled prawns capture the smoky, citrus-bright flavors of the Indian Ocean shoreline.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 610 kcal
• Protein: 34g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 54g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 3g
• Sodium: 980mg