Sticky Honey Prawns

I discovered a variation of this recipe during my research for Nistisima (my previous book) in a book called Culinaria Greece by Marianthi Milona. I’d never heard of prawns being cooked with honey and was intrigued. In addition, fish sauce was something I had never seen used in Greek food before. After much research I realised it probably referenced “garum,” a fermented fish sauce that was used in Ancient Greece and Rome. There are people today who make their own versions, and it seems like it isn’t too dissimilar to the commonly found fish sauce used in south-east Asian cooking (or even Worcestershire sauce). This truly delicious, genuinely speedy recipe has become a new staple in our house. 

Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free 

SERVES 4

• 2 onions

  Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots Georgina Hayden

• 1 green chilli

• 500g peeled, raw king prawns

• ½ bunch of oregano or thyme

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce

• 2 tablespoons honey

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ½ lemon, plus wedges to serve (optional)

Peel and finely slice the onions. Halve, deseed and finely slice the chilli. Devein and butterfly the prawns, if they aren’t already done. Pick the oregano or thyme leaves. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onions and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the chilli, the prawns, and herbs. Fry for a couple of minutes, then add the fish sauce, honey and black pepper. Squeeze in the lemon juice and turn up the heat. Leave to bubble away for 4–5 minutes, until the prawns are cooked and the sauce is thickened and sticky. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges for squeezing, if you like.

Adapted from Greekish: Everyday Recipes with Greek Roots. Used with the permission of the publisher, Bloomsbury. Copyright © 2024 by Georgina Hayden

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