Equipment
Ingredients
Prawns
- 12 large tiger prawns, whole, shell-on
- 30 ml neutral oil
- 5 g fine sea salt
Macanese Stuffing Paste
- 3 shallots, peeled
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 10 g fresh turmeric, peeled
- 1 lemongrass, white part only, chopped
- 2 fresh red chili, deseeded
- 5 g shrimp paste
- 30 ml coconut milk
Soy Butter Sauce
- 100 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 15 ml tamari soy sauce
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 1 g white pepper
Garnish
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 4 lime wedges
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 460 kcal
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbohydrates
- 25 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1246 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 15 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 54 mg
- Potassium
- 438 mg
- Calcium
- 127 mg
- Iron
- 3.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 30 mg
- Phosphorus
- 103 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 203 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 62 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 34 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.10 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.07 mg
- Niacin
- 0.5 mg
- Folate
- 24 mcg
- Water
- 88 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare the aromatics. Combine shallots, garlic, turmeric, lemongrass, red chili, and shrimp paste in a food processor. Pulse until a fine, vibrant paste forms. Stir in the coconut milk to bind the mixture.
Prepare the prawns. Using kitchen shears, cut through the back shell from head to tail, leaving the head attached. Use a knife to slice deep into the back meat to butterfly it open (do not cut all the way through). Remove the dark vein. Rinse and pat dry thoroughly.
Spoon the spice paste generously into the cavity of each butterflied prawn. Press the filling down gently so it adheres to the meat. Brush the outer shells with neutral oil and season lightly with salt. Let rest at room temperature while preparing the grill.
Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (approx 200°C/400°F). If using charcoal, ensure coals are glowing red with a light ash coating.
While the grill heats, make the sauce. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the soy sauce and lemon juice. Whisk in the cold cubed butter, one piece at a time, ensuring the mixture stays emulsified and creamy (do not let it boil). Season with white pepper. Remove from heat and keep in a warm spot.
Grill the prawns. Place them shell-side down first to protect the meat. Grill for 3-4 minutes until the shell turns bright orange and the meat begins to turn opaque. Carefully flip onto the flesh side for just 1-2 minutes to char the stuffing and finish cooking. Internal temperature should reach 63°C/145°F.
Transfer prawns to a serving platter. Drizzle generously with the warm soy butter sauce. Garnish with spring onions and serve immediately with lime wedges.
Chef's Notes
- To achieve a true Macanese flavor profile, try to source 'Balichão' (Macanese shrimp paste), but standard Belacan or fine shrimp sauce is a worthy substitute.
- Do not discard the prawn heads; the 'tomalley' inside mixes with the butter sauce and grilled stuffing to create the most flavorful part of the dish.
- If using wooden skewers to keep the prawns straight, soak them in water for 30 minutes beforehand to prevent burning.
- For the sauce, the butter must be cold when adding it to the warm liquid; this technique (mounting with butter) creates a thick, creamy emulsion without cream.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store prawns and sauce separately. Reheat gently to avoid splitting the sauce.
Reheating: Gently warm prawns in a pan over low heat; whisk sauce over a warm water bath.
Troubleshooting
Stuffing falls out during grilling
Cause: Paste was too wet or prawns were flipped too aggressively
Fix: Spoon any fallen stuffing back onto the prawns after flipping them onto the serving plate
Prevention: Ensure coconut milk is thick; press stuffing firmly; flip gently
Butter sauce separates (looks oily)
Cause: Heat was too high or butter was added too quickly
Fix: Remove from heat, add a teaspoon of cold water or cream, and whisk vigorously to re-emulsify
Prevention: Keep heat very low; whisk in cold butter slowly
Cultural Context
Macanese cuisine is often cited as one of the world's first fusion cuisines, evolving over 400 years in Macau. This dish reflects that history by combining Portuguese grilling techniques and love for seafood with local Chinese ingredients and spices (turmeric, coconut, chili) acquired along the maritime spice routes.
