Fish and Farewells.

My Mum left yesterday, and what with Christmas and New year we hadn't really got round to making ourselves any really enjoyable meals. My Mum doesn't like much food, as in quantity, but she does love eating simple well flavoured meals. So I bought 750g of green ( raw) banana prawns and delved around the cupboard for something that would be more interesting than the usual boiled versions, which always, however well flavoured, seem to need perking up with something. I heated a large pan until hot, then poured in a generous glug of oil to which I added 2 cloves of grated garlic, about a thumbs worth of grated ginger and one red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped. After hearing a rather satisfying sizzle I tipped in the green prawns, still in their shells, and stirred furiously. You want the garlic and ginger to caremelise a little, but you dont want them to burn. Once the prawns had changed coulour and were looking like some of the marinading ingredients were sticking rather satifyingly to their nooks and crannies I added the juice of 2 limes. This in turn makes sure the prawns are cooked, and encourages then to release their own juices- all the better for mopping up with some crusty bread! I then heaped the prawns with some bread into soup bowls and provided napkins and a large plate for the shells. I served with some of the aforementioned crusty bread and a scattering of coriander added at the last minute so it wilted in the prawn's heat. Delicious. A perfect meal to say goodbye with, as you are so busy sorting out peeling your own prawns and disposing of shells and enjoying their wondrousness, that you forget to get teary. That comes later.