Toasted Coconut and Lime Prawns Ingredients: 1/4 cup sweet coconut flakes 1 Tablespoon peanut or canola oil 3/4 pound large prawns, shelled, deveined and butterflied 1/2 Tablespoon minced shallots 1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic 1-1/2 ounces lime juice 1-1/2 ounces rice wine vinegar 1-1/2 ounces sake or dry white wine 1-1/2 ounces Coco Lopez or coconut cream 1/8 cup chopped green onion 1/8 cup chopped cilantro 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 1 Tablespoon sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) Salt and pepper to taste Lime slices and/or green onion flowers for garnish Preparation: Toast coconut flakes in a 350-degree F oven until light golden brown. Remove and set aside. Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot enough to make a piece of shallot dance around in the pan, carefully add the prawns and cook them for about two minutes or until they are three-quarters of the way cooked. Quickly remove the prawns from the pan and reserve them on a plate. Add the shallots to the saute pan. Cook until opaque, then add the garlic and the acidic liquids (lime juice, vinegar, and wine). Reduce the mixture by half and add the coconut cream. Stir around, add the prawns, green onion, cilantro, vanilla, and sesame oil and cook the shrimp all the way through. Season with salt, pepper, and (if desired) red pepper flakes. If there is not enough sauce, add one ounce of water to the pan before serving and re-season). Serve with your favorite type of steamed rice, garnish with toasted coconut, lime slices, and green onion flowers. Yield: 2 servings
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