I’ve never been to a party where anyone was ever disappointed when they were served shrimp as an appetizer. Put them on a stick, spice them up, and serve them four at a time, and your guests are sure to be even happier. Super-size them by using large prawns and you have a hit.
Pair them with the wrong wine, however, and all that goodwill goes right out the window.
Wine Pairing Possibilities for hot gingered prawns
Pairing Shrimp is easy. Pairing Shrimp with Thai sweet chili sauce and ginger is way more complicated. Wine does not go together naturally with sweet flavors unless it is dessert wine with dessert food. With this prawn recipe, you have a combination that’s both sweet and spicy.
I am leaning toward a Sicilian Catarratto-Inzolia (these are indigenous grapes). Like the red wine below, Sicilian wines do well with shellfish because of their lean structure. This one however, also carries a fruit component that will pick up on the sweet flavors of the chili sauce. Something “off-dry” or demi-sec would be a better fit.
The other wine which could work is a Fiano, interestingly also from Sicily. This version is on the tighter/leaner side and will do well with the shrimp element. These wines tend to be off-dry in character as well and have a hint of spice.
If you prefer a red wine, try the Arancio Pinot Noir. I wouldn’t normally suggest a red, but this one is from an area of Sicily that offers whites that are classic with shellfish. The unique character in this Pinot just might work.
Hot Gingered Prawns
Ingredients
- 2¼ pounds of green king prawns, peeled with tails intact
- 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon of finely shredded ginger
- 12 ounces Thai sweet chili sauce
- wooden skewers soaked in water
Instructions
- Thread prawns on skewers.
- Combine ingredients in bowl and mix well.
- Put prawns on indoor grill.
- Pour mixture over prawns.
- Cook for a minute or until pink and tender.
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