Garlic prawns are one of my go-to entrées for dinner guests—it’s quick, easy to prepare, and pairs perfectly with bread! In this recipe, I put a twist on the classic Spanish version by swapping parsley and pimentón for kaffir lime leaves and tom yum, creating a local twist with a spicy kick!
Thai-tanic twist offers versatility
With the infusion of Asian flavors, this dish isn’t just great with bread—it also pairs beautifully with rice, making it a versatile option for any meal. The rich, garlicky sauce, infused with spicy tom yum paste and fragrant kaffir lime leaves, complements fluffy Jasmine rice perfectly. That said, I still enjoy it best with crusty bread, which soaks up all that delicious sauce for an irresistible combination! Plus, since it’s made with extra virgin olive oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats, it can also help support healthy cholesterol levels.
Recipe Card
Serves: 3 – 5 pax
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 15 mins
Ingredients
Prawns 500g
Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 cup
Garlic 3 cloves (sliced)
Tom Yum Paste 2 tsp
Kaffir Lime leaves 3 (sliced thinly)
Salt 1/4 tsp
Method
1. Remove heads and shells of prawns and devein with toothpick
2. Add prawn heads and olive oil in saucepan.
3. Gently fry till oil turns red, then remove the heads from pan and set aside.
4. Add garlic slices and fry for a min.
5. Add the prawns and gently fry for 1 min on one side, then flip over and fry for another 1 to 2 mins.
6. Remove prawns when fully cooked, set aside.
7. Add tom yum paste and mix into oil
8. Add half of the kaffir lime leaves and toss to coat evenly
9. Turn off the heat and arrange prawns onto plate
10. Pour the garlic tom yum infused oil over the prawns
11. Garnish with Kaffir Lime leaves
Cooking Tips and Notes
For the prawns, I like to use Ang Kar prawns because they have so much more flavor than the usual grey prawns. But if you can get your hands on some Spanish Carabineros, even better!
I like to devein the prawns and remove the shell, leaving just the tip of the tail. One thing you definitely want to keep is the prawn heads because we want to use them to infuse the oil with its amazing crustacean flavor! The rest of the prawn shells can be discarded as most of the flavour is in the head.
Kaffir lime leaves are wonderfully aromatic and grow easily in our tropical climate. The ones I used in this recipe were actually grown in my garden but you can easily buy them at the supermarket. It is usually used whole in curries, but for this dish, you’ll want to slice them thinly so that they can be used as a garnish. The leaves are quite tough, especially the central stem, so be sure to remove it before slicing.
Aside from the prawns, the other key ingredient in this recipe is extra virgin olive oil. You may have heard that it’s not suitable for cooking, but during our time in Spain, we saw that it’s commonly used to cook everything! Since the oil serves as both a cooking medium and a flavorful dip, it’s important to choose a high-quality EVOO. Known for its heart-healthy benefits, it’s nothing to shy away from—so don’t hesitate to use it generously.
Because EVOO has a lower smoke point, be sure to fry over low, gentle heat to preserve its rich flavor and health benefits.
Infusing flavour into the oil
The key is to infuse the EVOO with a rich, crustacean-infused tom yum flavor. To achieve this, start by frying the prawn heads to extract their deep umami essence, then add the sliced garlic. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the peeled prawns and gently cook them until they are just done. Remove the prawns from the pan, then stir in the tom yum paste and half of the sliced kaffir lime leaves and gently simmer to allow the oil to absorb all the wonderful, aromatic flavors. Finally, pour the fragrant oil over the cooked prawns and garnish with the remaining kaffir lime leaves and you got for yourself a Thai-tanic Gambas Al Ajilio!
Conclusion
This is a quick and satisfying dish that’s bursting with flavor! Don’t hesitate to dip your bread or drizzle that aromatic, flavor-infused EVOO over your rice—it’s not just delicious but also heart-healthy. Do give this dish a try!
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