Chipotle prawn tacos

Spicy prawn tacos with mango salsa and fresh jalapeno coleslaw. The perfect balance of fresh and spicy.

Ingredients

For the coleslaw

• ½ pointed green cabbage, shredded
• 200g/7oz carrot, grated
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 habanero or jalapeno chilli, very finely chopped (see recipe tip)
• 150ml/5fl oz soured cream
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• salt and freshly ground pepper

For the prawns

• 1 tbsp ancho chilli paste
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp chipotle paste
• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp light brown soft sugar
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• 500g/1lb 2oz raw peeled prawns
• butter or ghee for frying

For the mango salsa

• 1 large mango, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• few springs coriander, finely chopped

To serve

• 16 mini flour tortilla wraps
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Method

1. To make the coleslaw. Put the cabbage and carrot in a colander. Mix in the salt and set over a bowl. Leave to stand in the colander for at least half an hour to allow the salt to draw out the excess liquid.

2. Meanwhile, marinate the prawns. In a large bowl mix the ancho chilli paste, olive oil, chipotle paste, cocoa, sugar and lime juice and zest. Add the prawns and stir to coat evenly in the marinade. Leave for at least half an hour.

3. To finish the coleslaw, transfer the cabbage and carrot to a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly, taste and add a little more salt and pepper if necessary.

4. To make the salsa, mix everything together and season with salt and pepper.

5. To cook the prawns, melt a tablespoon of butter or ghee in a large frying pan over a high heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the prawns to the pan and fry until pink. You may need to fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove from the frying pan and keep warm.

6. Add the marinade to the pan and simmer until piping hot and the volume of liquid has reduced until it coats the back of a spoon. Just before serving, add the prawns back to the pan and heat through in the glaze.

7. To warm the tacos, add a tablespoon of ghee to a clean frying pan over a high heat. Once melted, fry each taco for 1–2 minutes on each side. Place in a taco rack (if you have one) or onto a plate, covered with kitchen foil to keep warm. Continue until you have warmed them all.

8. To serve, layer up the tacos with coleslaw first, followed by prawns and finished with the mango salsa.

Chipotle prawn tacos