Crispy Salt-and-Pepper Garlic Prawns with Lime Zest

I hate getting excited about a meal only to be let down. On visits to Hawaii I make a point of eating like a local. Rather than spending all my time on the beach, I lace up good walking shoes and do a self-guided food crawl with a list of places to try. On Oahu, stopping at the famous North Shore shrimp trucks is almost mandatory, but their reputation often builds expectations I find hard to meet. I won’t single out any truck, but many of the versions I tried were simply shrimp cooked in melted butter and tossed with what tasted like jarred chopped garlic. The difference between jarred and fresh garlic is striking, and it matters.

On a recent trip to Costco I discovered a fresh seafood counter selling prawns by the pound, which is a rare opportunity to buy just the amount you want. I asked for a half pound of jumbo black tiger prawns and paid $6.50 — excellent value compared with restaurant prices.

I wanted to improve on the truck-style garlic shrimp by blending that bold flavor with a familiar salt-and-pepper approach from my favorite Chinese restaurant. I also had red Hawaiian sea salt on hand, which I used to start a dry brine. Even with the shells on, massaging the prawns with salt adds seasoning and helps protect the meat from overcooking. After 10 minutes of dry-brining I added enough water to cover the prawns and let them rest briefly in a wet brine so the meat could absorb salt and tenderize.

Once drained and patted dry, I dusted the prawns with a little corn starch to give the surface a bit of texture so butter and seasonings cling better. I briefly fried the prawns on both sides in coconut oil, then removed them while I melted butter in the pan and added plenty of freshly chopped garlic. After half a minute I returned the prawns to finish cooking, seasoning them with fresh ground black pepper.

The goal is to brown the garlic without burning it, allowing it to become nearly crispy and cling to the prawns. Any browned bits stuck to the pan benefit from a splash of dry sherry to loosen them and add depth to the butter-garlic sauce. Once finished, I spoon the garlic-butter mixture over the prawns and scatter chopped cilantro on top. The result was one of the best prawn dishes I’ve had: balanced, fragrant, and perfectly cooked.

To eat them, I put the whole prawn in my mouth and pull the salty, peppery, garlicky butter off the shell before quickly peeling and enjoying the tender meat. The shells contribute flavor and help keep the prawns juicy; the seasoning doesn’t overpower the seafood.

Next time I visit Hawaii I might skip the garlic-shrimp trucks and enjoy shaved ice instead — at least until I find a truck that rivals this preparation. Enjoy!