Camarones a la Diabla

Method

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1. Toast the guajillo and árbol chillies in a dry pan for 40 seconds a side, then soak in hot water for 20 minutes.

   Mark done Start 40 sec timer

2. Char the tomatoes, onion and garlic in the same dry pan for 8 minutes, until blackened in patches.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

3. Blend the soaked chillies, chipotles, charred vegetables, oregano, cumin, salt and sugar with 100 ml of the soaking water.

   Mark done

4. Strain the sauce through a sieve, pressing the solids through.

   Mark done

5. Heat the oil in a wide pan and add the tomato purée for 1 minute.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

6. Pour in the strained sauce — stand back — and fry 5 minutes, until it darkens and thickens.

   Mark done

7. Add the stock and simmer 3 minutes.

   Mark done

8. Taste and correct the salt now, before the prawns go in.

   Mark done

9. Add the prawns and cook 3 minutes, turning once, until pink and curled.

   Mark done

10. Take off the heat, stir in the lime juice, and scatter the coriander over.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Fry the sauce for five minutes on its own.
• Season the sauce before the prawns arrive.
• Three minutes for the prawns, then off the heat.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• White rice
• Warm corn tortillas
• Cold lager

Storage & Reheating

The sauce keeps 4 days refrigerated. Cook the prawns fresh.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.