We just don’t get it. You guys in the USA, New Zealand and other places simply cook up the shrimps (we call them prawns) and hope for the best.

Why spoil such a great meal that way? They taste - well - damn awful. Unlike you guys, we cannot convince ourselves that this is food for for a king. So, welcome to taste central.

Here’s how we do it in spectacular Mozambique - the Portuguese way.

WARNING: Once you’ve had prawns this way, there’s no going back to boiled shrimps.
We have a support group. You have been warned.

• About 2 kilos (4 pounds) of nice big prawns.

• Half a liter (one pint) of virgin olive oil

• A scoop of butter

• A liter of beer, preferably 2M or Laurentina

• 4 large lemons

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• Lots of fresh garlic

• Peri-peri (or fresh chilli)

• a large metal frying pan

• A hot fire

• Cut the prawns open from the back to the belly with a pair of small, sharp scissors

• Remove the thin, dark vein that runs from the head to the tail

• Open the prawns like a butterflied fillet and grill them flesh side down

• Make a marinade with the beer, garlic, paprika, peri-peri and lemon juice

• Pour it over the cleaned prawns and leave in a cool place for 2 hours

• Heat up the large pan over the fire

• Pour in enough olive oil to cover the base about 2 mm deep and add the butter

• Lay the prawns one by one open side down into the olive oil

• Fry for 3 minutes

• Remove and add some deep-fried potato wedges

• Generously squeeze fresh lemon over the prawns

• Season with salt and ground black pepper.