Prawn Cocktail with a Twist

As a kid the only fancy destination for a family dinner was Park Street. The small clique of Peter Cat, Peiping, Barbeque and Mocambo made up my culinary world and dishes like Chelo Kebab, Chicken Sizzler, Chicken Stroganoff or Prawn Cocktail defined what restaurant-food stood for. I have always wondered where the cocktail bit of prawn cocktail lies. It's a heady mixture of mayo, ketchup, paprika and tobasco with a generous amount of boiled prawns thrown into it. That is the way I've always had it, made it and loved it.

For the last few months I've been addicted with using wine, vodka and suchlike in my savoury food. I am not a fan of alcohol at all but I love cooking with it. And from there rose the idea of adding a dash of vodka to my cocktail mixture to make it...well...a cocktail. But you can totally eliminate it if you're not too keen on vodka. But whether or not you use liquor, try this Prawn Cocktail at least once. It doesn't require any cooking (except boiling the prawns) and tastes devilishly good!

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

Prawns/shrimps, washed and deveined: 350 gm

Mayonnaise: 120 ml (I used Garlic mayonnaise)

Tomato ketchup: 3 tbsp

Tobasco sauce: 2 tsp

Paprika: 1 tsp

Vodka: 2 tbsp (optional)

Salt, to taste (if required. I used garlic salt)

Method:

1. In a small pan, bring 2 cups of water along with a little salt to boil. Add the prawns/shrimps and cook for 3-4 minutes till pink and soft. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside.

2. In a big bowl whisk the remaining ingredients together into a smooth luscious sauce. Check for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

3. Add the boiled shrimps into the sauce, toss and mix well. Divide into serving bowls/glasses and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Alternately, you can also refrigerate the entire thing together and serve each portion on a lettuce leaf.

4. Sprinkle some paprika before serving.

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