Submitted by Tsumiki

prawn to be wild 🦐

Vietnamese

Seafood Main Course Traditional Family Recipe

Vietnamese Style Prawn in Roe Sauce

Name: Vietnamese Style Prawn in Roe Sauce
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 kg River prawns or large shrimp; 2-3 tbsp Fish sauce; 1 tsp MSG; 4 cloves Garlic, minced; 2 Shallots, minced; 1/4 tsp Ground black pepper; 1 tsp Lemon or lime juice; 500 ml Fresh coconut water; 1 tbsp Cooking oil

A fast and easy, yet rich and decadent meal from the Vietnamese countryside, graciously passed down from this chattini's grandma. From kitchen to table in about 30 minutes.

Contains Shellfish Contains Fish

PrepPrep Time

15 min

CookCook Time

15 min

DiffDifficulty

Medium

Equipment

Large pan or wok
Chopsticks or stirring spoon
Kitchen scissors
Knife

Ingredients

♥
1 kg River prawns or large shrimp
♥
2-3 tbsp Fish sauce
♥
1 tsp MSG
♥
4 cloves Garlic, minced
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2 Shallots, minced
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1/4 tsp Ground black pepper
♥
1 tsp Lemon or lime juice
♥
500 ml Fresh coconut water
♥
1 tbsp Cooking oil

Substitutions

River prawns Large shrimp (though river prawn roe is more flavorful)
Fresh coconut water Coconut soda or plain water
Shallots Red onion

Instructions

Clean the prawns

Deshell the prawns, removing the back vein and poop sack without damaging the head. Use scissors to snip off a part of the head right behind the eyes - you can then pull the poop sack out easily without damaging the roe. For the back vein, lightly cut along the back and remove the black line (intestines).

Sauté aromatics

Heat a little oil in your pan. Sauté the minced garlic and shallots until nice and golden - not brown, just golden.

Cook the prawns

Add the prawns and cook until they turn evenly red. Season with MSG and pepper while cooking. The roe will slowly leak out during cooking, creating a delicious sauce while still leaving enough roe in the head for that satisfying bite.

Add coconut water

Pour in fresh coconut water until it just covers the prawns. Add the fish sauce as well.

Add citrus

Squeeze in just the tiniest bit of lime or lemon juice. This is the family secret!

Reduce the sauce

Let it simmer and reduce until the sauce thickens to your liking. The longer you reduce, the more concentrated the flavors.

Garnish and serve

Garnish with spring onions or coriander for a nice pop of color. Serve immediately with fluffy white rice.

Chef's Notes

Grandma’s Wisdom: This is a very savory dish - best enjoyed with fluffy white rice or any neutral-tasting staple food to soak up that incredible sauce and let the flavors shine.

Normally recipes call for scooping out the head roe to make the sauce separately, but grandma found it’s better to let the roe leak out naturally into the coconut water during cooking. Less work, same delicious result!

All measurements are just a guide - adjust to your liking or until your ancestors tell your psyche that it’s enough. This is a vibe-based recipe, after all.

Family Secret: The lemon/lime juice isn’t in the traditional online recipes - this is a secret passed down through the family!