Description
This vibrant and flavorful recipe features grilled king prawns seasoned with a fragrant paste of spices and garlic, complemented perfectly by a smoky burnt pineapple and scotch bonnet chutney. The prawns are quickly grilled over hot coals to achieve a juicy, tender texture with a hint of char, while the chutney offers a sweet, spicy, and tangy contrast, making it a perfect dish for summer barbecues or any grilling occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Prawns and Marinade
- 24 whole king prawns, shells left on
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3 spring onions, finely chopped, green and white parts separated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp pul biber (Turkish chili flakes)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
For the Burnt Pineapple & Scotch Bonnet Chutney
- 1 banana shallot
- 1 small whole garlic bulb
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 260g canned pineapple slices (drained weight)
- 2 tbsp sherry vinegar
- ¼ to 1 scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped (adjust heat to preference)
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the Prawns: Trim the antennae and legs of the king prawns using kitchen scissors. Snip down the back of each prawn’s shell from the neck to just before the tail. Use a cocktail stick to remove and discard the dark intestinal tract. Remove the shell sections around the middle but leave the heads and tails intact.
- Make the Marinade: In a bowl, combine crushed garlic, the white parts of the chopped spring onions, ground cumin, dried thyme, smoked paprika, pul biber, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, and 2 tbsp vegetable oil to form a thick paste. Rub this paste all over the prawns thoroughly and set them aside to marinate.
- Prepare the Charcoal Grill: Arrange and light the barbecue coals on one side only to create an area of direct and indirect heat for grilling and cooking the chutney ingredients.
- Cook Shallot and Garlic Over Coals: Place the whole banana shallot directly on the hot coals, turning every 5 minutes for about 15 minutes until it feels soft when pressed. Meanwhile, slice off the root end of the garlic bulb, drizzle it with a little olive oil, season with salt, wrap it tightly in foil, and cook it over the coals for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until soft and roasted.
- Grill the Pineapple: Drizzle pineapple slices with some of the remaining olive oil. Place them directly over the coals and grill for 2 minutes. Flip the slices and continue cooking for 5-8 minutes more, turning every minute, until they develop dark golden edges with charred spots. Remove from grill.
- Prepare the Chutney: Transfer the grilled pineapple slices to a blender. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from the bulb into the blender, add the cooked shallot, sherry vinegar, and the remaining extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pulse until the mixture reaches a semi-chunky texture — avoid over-blending to keep some texture. Stir in the finely chopped scotch bonnet chilli and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Grill the Prawns: Place the marinated prawns either directly over the hot coals or on the grill grate above them. Cook for about 3 minutes until the undersides turn pink. Flip the prawns and cook for another 2 minutes or until fully pink with no grey areas remaining.
- Serve: Remove the prawns from the heat and serve immediately alongside the burnt pineapple and scotch bonnet chutney for a smoky, spicy, and sweet accompaniment.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of scotch bonnet chilli in the chutney to control the spiciness according to your heat tolerance.
- Removing the intestinal tract from the prawns ensures a cleaner taste and better texture.
- The charring of pineapple slices adds a smoky sweetness that balances the heat from the chilli in the chutney.
- Cooking the shallot and garlic directly on the coals infuses a deep smoky flavor into the chutney.
- Serve immediately for the best flavor and texture as prawns can become rubbery if overcooked or sitting too long.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Caribbean-inspired
Keywords: grilled prawns, burnt pineapple chutney, scotch bonnet chutney, barbecue prawns, spicy seafood, Caribbean flavors
