I seem to have been having lots of problems with this post. Normally I would just post another, and get on with it..... But I thought this recipe was too good to get forgotten.
The audioscape to life outside my bedroom window is constantly changing. For days on end (it actually seems like weeks!) All we have heard is the monotony of constant rainfall. The rain has been falling so intensely at times, that when you looked out you felt like you were within a wall of water. I should explain here, you see I live in a treehouse, well not an actual treehouse per se, but more like a house seemingly suspended up within the trees. My "treehouse" does not have regular walls as most people have, instead we have glass walls, so hence when it rains, you feel like you are living within the rain (for the most part we manage to stay dry, that is except for times when the velocity of water is so great that it has nowhere else to go but within our abode.)
The rain when it falls like it has of late, is noisy to say the least, as it beats on all surfaces around us. At times it sounds like you are living within a rainforest during monsoon season. It makes rivers wherever it can just to escape, and waterfalls where there was once a trickle of water! Just beyond my bedroom window there is what we loving refer to as "the creek". It's not really a creek, just an easement drain really, but of late you could be confused into thinking it is the Zambezi River heading over Victoria Falls!
Once the rains abate the waterfall continues on its merry course for several. This is the view from my bedroom! The "creek" is hiding in those trees!
They say the sound of water is soothing, but this just sounds angry at times, as it fights it's way down the ravine. As the velocity of water decreases the wildlife starts to return. The first day or so after the waters subside the frogs come out in full force. The cacophony of their singing made it difficult to sleep the other night! Oh, how the frogs love this weather! Not to worry though, they only stay for a day or two, and life returns back to normal, they go back to whence they came, and the usual noises can be heard, today it is the sounds of real summer, the crickets, and the usual bird noises!
It was during one of these lulls in the rain that I decided to take advantage of the break in the weather and light up the barbecue. There haven't been too many "barbies" here this summer I can tell you!
I have had my eye on a recipe I found in the January issue of the SBS magazine "Feast". Last night seemed as good a night as any to try it out!
Soy and Lemongrass Prawns
Adapted from recipe found in Feast Magazine, January edition
Serves 4
2 stalks of lemongrass, white part only, roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
1 long red chilli, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
4cm piece of ginger, peeled, sliced
1 large bunch of mint, leaves only
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs Japanese soy sauce
1 kg green prawns, peeled, leaving tails intact
Sweet Soy Dressing
4 tbs Mirin
4 tbs Japanese soy sauce
4 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
Place the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, chill, garlic, ginger, mint, both oils, and the soy sauce into either a food processor, or the Thermomix. Process on speed 8 for 10 seconds. Scrape down bowl and repeat until all ingredients are finely chopped.
Place the mixture into a large ziploc bag. Add the prawns and mix well. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, longer if time permits.
To make the dressing, whisk together the Mirin, soy sauce, sugar and oil in a bowl.
When ready to cook the prawns, thread them onto skewers.
Preheat the BBQ over high heat. Cook the prawns, turning occassionally, for 4 minutes, or until pink and cooked through.
Serve with sushi style rice, and cucumber ribbons and pickled ginger.
Sushi style rice
400g sushi rice
2 tbs Mirin
Place the steaming basket in the Thermomix bowl. Weigh in 400g of sushi rice. Remove the basket, and rinse the rice well under running water. Place the basket with the rice back into the Thermomix. Add 1 tsp of salt, and 900g of water. Cook the rice for 16 minutes at varoma temperature on speed 4. Remove the basket, using the spatula, from the Thermomix bowl. Place the rice, and a small amount of the cooking water in a large bowl. Cover with glad wrap, and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until all the water has absorbed.
Add the mirin, and using the spatula mix it gently through the rice.
For the cucumber ribbons I just used a vegetable peeler, and peeled long pieces from the sides of the cucumber, making sure not to get the seeds! I tossed these in a bowl with the pickled ginger and a small amount of sushi vinegar.
It was lovely to enjoy a BBQ in the dry last night, but I am not holding my breath that we have seen the last of the rain. You see school goes back tomorrow, and I will bet my last dollar that it will rain at 3 o'clock on the dot, just as the kids are making their way home from school!
On that note, "the Darlings" have their first day at high school tomorrow! & Oh my, where have the years gone? Life in this house is about to get exciting, all those testosterone fueled fights that are heading our way! Better batten down the hatches!
As a post script to this post, I have to report that all went well the first week at high school! Both now have "girlfriends", and all's good with the world! Tomorrow "The Darlings" turn 12, not babies anymore!
The audioscape to life outside my bedroom window is constantly changing. For days on end (it actually seems like weeks!) All we have heard is the monotony of constant rainfall. The rain has been falling so intensely at times, that when you looked out you felt like you were within a wall of water. I should explain here, you see I live in a treehouse, well not an actual treehouse per se, but more like a house seemingly suspended up within the trees. My "treehouse" does not have regular walls as most people have, instead we have glass walls, so hence when it rains, you feel like you are living within the rain (for the most part we manage to stay dry, that is except for times when the velocity of water is so great that it has nowhere else to go but within our abode.)
The rain when it falls like it has of late, is noisy to say the least, as it beats on all surfaces around us. At times it sounds like you are living within a rainforest during monsoon season. It makes rivers wherever it can just to escape, and waterfalls where there was once a trickle of water! Just beyond my bedroom window there is what we loving refer to as "the creek". It's not really a creek, just an easement drain really, but of late you could be confused into thinking it is the Zambezi River heading over Victoria Falls!
Once the rains abate the waterfall continues on its merry course for several. This is the view from my bedroom! The "creek" is hiding in those trees!
They say the sound of water is soothing, but this just sounds angry at times, as it fights it's way down the ravine. As the velocity of water decreases the wildlife starts to return. The first day or so after the waters subside the frogs come out in full force. The cacophony of their singing made it difficult to sleep the other night! Oh, how the frogs love this weather! Not to worry though, they only stay for a day or two, and life returns back to normal, they go back to whence they came, and the usual noises can be heard, today it is the sounds of real summer, the crickets, and the usual bird noises!
It was during one of these lulls in the rain that I decided to take advantage of the break in the weather and light up the barbecue. There haven't been too many "barbies" here this summer I can tell you!
I have had my eye on a recipe I found in the January issue of the SBS magazine "Feast". Last night seemed as good a night as any to try it out!
Adapted from recipe found in Feast Magazine, January edition
Serves 4
2 stalks of lemongrass, white part only, roughly chopped
4 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced
1 long red chilli, chopped
4 cloves of garlic
4cm piece of ginger, peeled, sliced
1 large bunch of mint, leaves only
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tbs Japanese soy sauce
1 kg green prawns, peeled, leaving tails intact
Sweet Soy Dressing
4 tbs Mirin
4 tbs Japanese soy sauce
4 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
Place the lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, chill, garlic, ginger, mint, both oils, and the soy sauce into either a food processor, or the Thermomix. Process on speed 8 for 10 seconds. Scrape down bowl and repeat until all ingredients are finely chopped.
Place the mixture into a large ziploc bag. Add the prawns and mix well. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, longer if time permits.
To make the dressing, whisk together the Mirin, soy sauce, sugar and oil in a bowl.
When ready to cook the prawns, thread them onto skewers.
Preheat the BBQ over high heat. Cook the prawns, turning occassionally, for 4 minutes, or until pink and cooked through.
Serve with sushi style rice, and cucumber ribbons and pickled ginger.
Sushi style rice
400g sushi rice
2 tbs Mirin
Place the steaming basket in the Thermomix bowl. Weigh in 400g of sushi rice. Remove the basket, and rinse the rice well under running water. Place the basket with the rice back into the Thermomix. Add 1 tsp of salt, and 900g of water. Cook the rice for 16 minutes at varoma temperature on speed 4. Remove the basket, using the spatula, from the Thermomix bowl. Place the rice, and a small amount of the cooking water in a large bowl. Cover with glad wrap, and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until all the water has absorbed.
Add the mirin, and using the spatula mix it gently through the rice.
For the cucumber ribbons I just used a vegetable peeler, and peeled long pieces from the sides of the cucumber, making sure not to get the seeds! I tossed these in a bowl with the pickled ginger and a small amount of sushi vinegar.
It was lovely to enjoy a BBQ in the dry last night, but I am not holding my breath that we have seen the last of the rain. You see school goes back tomorrow, and I will bet my last dollar that it will rain at 3 o'clock on the dot, just as the kids are making their way home from school!
On that note, "the Darlings" have their first day at high school tomorrow! & Oh my, where have the years gone? Life in this house is about to get exciting, all those testosterone fueled fights that are heading our way! Better batten down the hatches!
As a post script to this post, I have to report that all went well the first week at high school! Both now have "girlfriends", and all's good with the world! Tomorrow "The Darlings" turn 12, not babies anymore!
I'm so glad you persevered with this post, it looks a great recipe. Definitely worth the wait!
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