I remember the first time I realised that Prawn Sandwiches weren’t a universally accepted meal. It was in Bombay, and after a particularly gruelling week, my mind drifted to sun, sea and Goan sand. In an attempt to recreate that magic, I decided to order one of my favourite post-swim meals and although it took some hunting, I finally found a restaurant that served them. As my roommate eyed me warily, I explained that yes, prawns in between bread was in fact a completely legitimate seafood meal at beach shacks up and down the Goan Coast.
There’s something charming about their simplicity. The prawns are always fresh and plump, chopped up and treated with little beyond some salt, pepper, a dash of mayonnaise and perhaps some minced herbs, all contained between two slices of plain store-bought white bread. After you emerge tired but happy from the ocean, they could be no better reviver.
Sadly though, this dish seems less appealing beyond Goan shores. The state’s seafood of course is a huge aid to the process and other states may not have access to prawns of that calibre. But if you can procure fresh prawns, this is a great way to use them to their full potential for breakfast, lunch, tea or dinner.
This recipe builds on the classic with a few choice additions but still allows the prawns to be the star of the show.
Ingredients:
- 10 medium prawns
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon lime zest
- 4 slices white
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Softened butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Boil the prawns for about 2-3 minutes until they turn opaque.
- Let them cool before chopping them into bite-sized pieces
- In a bowl add prawns, salt, pepper, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and olive oil and stir well.
- Leave the mixture in the fridge for an hour.
- Combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest, remaining lemon juice and parsley.
- Toss the prawns into this mixture and stir through the sauce until well coated.
- Butter the bread slices and optionally toast them before constructing your sandwiches.
