Barbecued prawns: a great Australian dish
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Version 0 of 1. Could an adman be responsible for one of the country’s favourite dishes? It’s not a theory entirely without basis. When a pre-Crocodile Dundee Paul Hogan lent his larrikin charm to Tourism Australia’s 80s “Come and say G’day” campaign, he not only sold Australia as a holiday destination, but convinced the world that Aussie blokes and sheilas threw shrimp on the barbie as often as they smeared Vegemite on toast. (Never mind that Australians don’t say shrimp, or that the line was actually “I’ll slip an extra shrimp on the barbie for you”). Effective advertising, however, is (usually) based on fact. A creative director might have taken liberties with the language, but the bit about Australians loving prawns? Gospel, certainly according to indigenous coastal tribes that were eating prawns well before the arrival of the First Fleet. So how did prawns got the call-up to represent down under on the world stage? Why not something native or distinctly Antipodean – marron or barramundi, say? International familiarity has to come in to play, as does accessibility, even if the current price of prawns continues to edge closer towards special-occasion-only territory. I remember (just) a time when a feed of prawns could be had for a song. In Seafood of Australia & New Zealand, John Goode and Carol Willson recall being able to buy “a kilo [of prawns] for about 20 cents from stalls that lined the road between Brisbane and the Gold Coast”. Queenslanders weren’t the only ones who had it good. Similar memories are pinned to other coastal destinations including Yamba in northern New South Wales, Lakes Entrance in Victoria and Mandurah in Western Australia. That these towns are popular summer holiday destinations is no coincidence. Whether bought at the shop or caught in waist-high water, barbecued or boiled and served cold, prawns are symbolic of coastal living and associated happy trappings. It’s a truism not just in Australia, but anywhere where people holiday by the sea. From Bali’s Jimbaran Bay to Mediterranean resorts, mankind has successfully beaten hunger with prawns – and other delicious things yanked from the ocean – grilled over high heat. Through immigration and travel, these once-foreign flavours have been made familiar, and are now part of Australia’s bowerbird food lexicon. Simplicity is another yes-vote for prawns on the barbie. Buy prawns, marinate, apply heat, then devour. Start with good-quality seafood and the battle is already half-won. While freshness remains a buzzword in food circles, frozen prawns have earned a place in my kitchen. When properly handled (thaw overnight in the fridge rather than defrosting in a microwave or water-filled sink), they’re as good as prawns that have spent untold hours on the road getting from fisherman to fishmonger. Some experts might even argue they’re better, particularly given tales of unscrupulous retailers passing off defrosted frozen prawns as fresh. If possible, spend the extra bucks on local prawns, and not just for patriotism’s sake. While the majority of Australian prawns are wild-caught, most imported prawns sold here come from Asian farms. I’ll leave you to read about the environmental impact of intensive prawn farming in your own time. Finally: shell-off or shell-on? I’m an advocate for the latter. Not only does it save on prep-time, but similar to cooking meat on the bone, the shell imparts plenty of flavour to the cooked meat while simultaneously keeping it juicy. A small nick behind the head makes light work of both removing the black digestive tract and peeling the prawn, although a little extra calcium didn’t hurt anyone. Growing up with the Indonesian dish of assam udang (whole prawns fried in a sticky and sour tamarind sauce), I learned to appreciate – or at least contend with – the crunch of shell-on prawns. Remember, residual heat will continue to cook the prawns once they’re off the barbie. Take them to almost-done, then get ‘em on the table. Keep that in mind and you’ll ensure Hoges is the only one doing any slipping when it comes to this cultural identifier. Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |