Ingredients:
1 box, The better kuruma ebi
Olive oil
Salt & black pepper
3 Tbsp mentaiko paste (halal option here)
4-5 Tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
4-5 lemon slices
1 lemon wedge
½ tsp sesame oil (optional, for depth)
a few sprigs of Thyme (optional)
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Butterfly prawns using a small sharp knife - make a clean cut down the centre of the back, starting from just behind the head to the tail. Note: Do not cut all the way through, roughly about ¾ of the way in.
- Arrange the butterflied prawns in a single layer on a lined baking tray, laying them over lemon slices (for flavours to infuse better during baking).
- Drizzle lightly with olive oil and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- In a bowl, mix together mentaiko paste, mayonnaise, and sesame oil (if using) until smooth and creamy.
- Spoon the mentaiko sauce generously onto each butterflied prawn, smoothing it evenly across the flesh so it sits neatly within the cut.
- Crack over some freshly ground black pepper, topped with sprigs of Thyme, then bake in the oven for 9-11 minutes, until prawns are just cooked through and the sauce is lightly set.
- Using a kitchen blowtorch, gently torch the mentaiko sauce until lightly charred and bubbling.
- Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving.
Pro tips:
Don’t overbake — prawns cook fast. The blowtorch should do the final magic.