Sambal Butter Prawns with Crispy Garlic

Intro

Fast-cooked prawns do not need much, but they do need control. Here they are seared hard just long enough to stay snappy and sweet, then finished in a sambal butter scented with garlic and lime so the sauce turns glossy rather than greasy.

Ingredients

• For the prawns: 1 1/2 lb large prawns or shrimp, peeled and deveined, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/4 tsp white pepper, 1 tbsp neutral oil
• For the sambal butter: 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 2 tbsp sambal, 4 cloves garlic thinly sliced, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp lime juice
• To finish: 2 scallions thinly sliced, lime wedges

Instructions

1. Pat the prawns very dry and season with salt and white pepper. If the surface is damp, they will shed water the moment they hit the pan and you will lose the sear that makes this dish feel finished.
2. Heat a wide skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the prawns in a single layer. Cook 60 to 90 seconds on the first side, until the underside turns coral and lightly golden around the edges. Turn and cook 30 to 60 seconds more; they should be just shy of fully done at this stage.
3. Transfer the prawns to a plate. Lower the heat to medium, add the butter, and once it foams, add the sliced garlic. Stir steadily for 30 to 45 seconds until the garlic is pale gold at the edges and fragrant but not yet brown.
4. Add the sambal and honey and cook for 20 seconds to wake the chili up in the butter. Return the prawns to the pan, add the lime juice, and toss continuously for another 30 seconds until the sauce turns glossy and lightly coats each prawn.
5. Finish with scallions and serve immediately with lime wedges. The prawns should look lacquered, not swimming in sauce.

Why This Works

Pulling the prawns just before they are fully done gives you a little room to finish them in the sambal butter without tipping them into rubbery territory.