6 large prawns, butterflied, shells on, but heads removedpinch sea salt drizzle vegetable oillarge handful fresh coriander1 lime, juice onlyFor the sweet and sour sauce4-5 tbsp white wine vinegar3-4 tbsp caster sugar4cm/1in piece fresh ginger, unpeeled1 mild red chilli, finely choppedMethod1. To butterfly the prawns, first remove the head by twisting it off, then discard. Don't remove the shell. Place the prawn on its back on a cutting board. Using a small, sharp knife, cut through the centre of the body from below the head down to the tail. Don't cut all the way through the flesh. Repeat with the remaining prawns.2. For the sweet and sour sauce, pour the vinegar into a small pan (not aluminium) over a medium heat. Add the sugar and heat through.3. Slice the ginger into thick slices and add to the sauce in the pan.4. Slice the chilli and add to the pan. Simmer the sauce until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is reduced and sticky - about five minutes. Taste and adjust flavour as needed by adding a touch more sugar or vinegar, as necessary.5. Meanwhile, heat a ridged grill pan until hot. Sprinkle the sea salt over the prepared prawns. Pour over the oil, then rub it into the prawns.6. Place the prawns on the hot grill pan and grill until cooked through and slightly charred (this will take about 2-3 minutes). Press down lightly with tongs to ensure even cooking. Turn the prawns over and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side.7. Chop the fresh coriander. When the prawns are cooked, transfer them into the pan with the reduced sauce.8. Add the coriander and a squeeze of fresh lime juice to the pan.9. Stir together until the prawns are coated in the sauce. Serve straightaway.
Mango Dash india on 19 Dec 14The summer season each year brings wafting memories of a juicy and luscious fruit called litchi. The origins of Litchi lie in southern China where as a crop it has been cultivated uninterruptedly for close to 2500 years. Its geographical propagation has been rather slow, which is due to the short life-span of its seed and the peculiar soil and climatic requirements associated with the plant.A classical instance of this is India which is the second largest producer just behind China, but litchi farming is chronologically speaking, very recent having been introduced only sometime in the middle of the 1700's. Together China and India between themselves produce more than 90% of the world's Litchi, leaving the rest of the world far behind. In the backdrop of all this it is interesting to know the various cultivars and varieties which dot the world of Litchi farming. Most or all of them have their genesis probably in China but have been suitably bred and modified to thrive in countries of their adoption. The terms 'cultivar' and 'variety' have often been used interchangeably but this convention often seems to ignore the obvious differences which exist between the two. A 'cultivar' is bred with the help of vegetative propagation, which could include cutting, grafting,budding and tissue culture and is a product of human effort and ingenuity. A 'variety' on the other hand is a natural phenomenon and is bred through seedlings. A 'variety' will always produce clones of the parent plant, but in a cultivar,there may be slight variation in a progeny compared to the parent particularly in the case of hybrids. The Litchi cultivars in India number about 40 out of which around 12 or 13 are commercially cultivated.The same cultivar or variety may be known by different names in various parts of the country. In China there are about 200 known cultivars although only 20 or so are in commercial farming, which means the genetic repository is much more widespread compared to India but
