Honey-tamari prawns with nam-pla dip

(photo courtesy of my friend Jeanne)
Somebody new stumbled into my life last week. With her came an avalanche of questions. She's pregnant, you see, and when you are pregnant, especially with your first child, there are always a lot of questions. And even more answers. Which can be downright confusing.
When I had my first child 14 years ago (yes, I know, I was way too young then), it was all so simple. You fell pregnant, you found out, panicked for a few weeks, then went to the doctor once a month to check progress in an ultrasound, and finally gave birth to a beautiful child, and of course you were ready for it and could handle it all. Who said you couldn't? The only thing your dottore told you to be careful of was not to touch cats or dogs for risk of toxoplamosis.
Nowadays, things are more complicated. Especially here in the UK. Taking aside decisions like where and how to have your baby (and you'll notice many people nowadays are too posh to push) the people around you will have an opinion on everything you do. Which clothes you wear, which music you listen to, whether or not you're allowed to travel, even which exercise you're allowed to do... over here, for example, they tell you not to ride a bike as your sense of balance is suuposedly out of kilter when you've got a bun in the oven!
And speaking of buns, one of the worst things is nutrition. To eat or not to eat is not the question. Of course you'll stuff your face as much as you possibly can, because for the next 36 weeks you will be expected to gain weight, not lose it. But what to eat seems to be a major thing. This is a new worry, I find. And I never obeyed the rules. I understand the importance of eating healthily (not that I lived by it, devouring at least one double chocolate mousse brownie - and we're talking 300g here, not a meagre fistful - per day), but the list of things you're not allowed to consume is an absolute joke. No liver, meat only when it's well done, eggs only hard-boiled, nothing unpasteurised, easy on the wheat, no mouldy cheeses, no tuna, only a certain amount of salmon, no sushi, no peanuts, no shellfish. I mean, come on, what is one allowed to eat? Am I supposed to live on buttered toast (pasteurised butter, of course!) and fruit (organic, bien sûr)?
And you know what I did? I decided for myself that they could stuff themselves. Especially because I don't understand the reasoning behind it all. Apparently most of the rules are because they are linking the rise in allergies to them being triggered in pregnancy. Give me a break! There is only one reason why allergies are on the rise: we eat rubbish all day, all the food we consume is highly processed, full of preservatives and E-numbers, and the air we breathe is polluted. That's why we suffer from dermatitis and eczema. Leave the poor lobster alone, he's got nothing to do with it!
Apart from a weekly delivery of sushi, one thing I took a great liking to in my last pregnancy were these tiger prawns... marinated in tamari & honey overnight, then stir-fried and served with a tangy Asian-style dip, they're such an easy trick for a casual dinner party for an aperitif with a difference - imagine them barbecued in the summer, that would make them even more perfect! Shellfish is good for you, whether you're pregnant or not. It's succulent and tasty, and if it's the histamines that are to blame for that, I'll have a double helping!

Honey-tamari prawns with nam-pla dip
(30 prawns)

30 uncooked, shelled tiger prawns (never been frozen)

For the marinade:
4 tbsp Tamari (dark soy sauce)
1 clove garlic (crushed)
zest of half a lime
1 tsp freshly chopped red chilli
1 tbsp honey

For the dip:
1 small red chilli (deseeded & finely chopped)
20 g coriander leaves (finely chopped)
juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic (crushed)
1 small spring onion (finely sliced)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Tamari (dark soy sauce)
1 dash nam pla (fish sauce)
1 tbsp muscovado sugar

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a tupperware container, add the cleaned prawns. Close the lid tightly and shake thoroughly so that the prawns are evenly coated. Leave to stand in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours. Toss the container every time you go past it.
Combine all the ingredients for the dip (except the coriander) and heat in a pot until the sugar has dissolved. Leave to cool, then add the coriander leaves.
When you're ready to serve, heat some oil in a wok, when it is really hot, add the prawns and toss them until they're cooked through and starting to brown. Depending on how much contact they have with the pan, this should not take more than 3-5 minutes.
Serve the prawns and dip on a large plate, alongside skewers to pick them up with.

Comments

[robin]

Oh Johanna, now I know what we're having for dinner either tonight or tomorrow! We have a lovely Asian market nearby that sells fresh seafood & produce. And I have a 15-year old son who loves to cook curries & Asian-style foods ... What an inspiration (I mean the food - but once in a while, also the teenaged son).

[Anne]

Thank you, that was really refreshing to read! I'm not pregnant - yet - but we're tentatively thinking about it. And everything I read is don't eat this, don't eat that, definitely never ever eat that.. and so on. Sure, some things I get. But many seem completely irrational!

And the dish looks fab, by the way :)

[Sophie]

I reckon one of the things that puts people off is that us sciencey types keep changing the list all the time! I think the Food Standards Agency site is good as it is straightforward but all based on current scientific knowledge so nothing whacky (http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/pregnancy/whenyrpregnant/). It might be useful for Jeanne if she's reading as it says which foods it is suggested people avoid because of food poisoning risk and which because of possible allergies, if she wants to decide anything on that basis. Anyway, they say go ahead to cooked prawns which is a good job for anybody taking the cautious approach to things because they sound fantastic! Sorry Johanna, I'll be going back into my corner to try and stop being a nutrition bore now :-)

[Jeanne]

Eeeeeek nooooooo! It's not Jeanne who's pregnant - I just took the photo!! :o) LOL!

And I can vouch for the fact that these prawns were totally heavenly - for pregnant women and the rest of us ;-)

[Susan from Food "Blogga"]

What an interesting post! I've never been pregnant, but I've read about these many forbidden foods. It makes you wonder what happened before women knew all this. This is a delicious recipe for anybody!

[Bea at La Tartine Gourmande]

Very entertaining post Johanna! ANd I agree with you! There are too many people afraid of too many things relating to food!

[Sophie]

Ooohh, sorry Jeanne!!!! I'm definitely going back into my corner now :-) I thought the Johanna had made the prawns for the person who took the photo. If I could do a blushing smiley I'd put it right *here* !

[Freya]

Great article! The prawns look delicious!

[johanna]

oh no, sophie, don't withdraw... i find it all very interesting, i like to hear another pov as well, but reserve the right to decide what's right for me, and when to err on the cautious side and when to go for it despite warnings - i still gotta live, you know, and i've so far been in good hands trusting my intuition... touch wood!

[Baking Soda]

"Too posh to push", love it! The way we deliver our children in Holland has been frowned upon in certain other parts of the world ;-), we used to do it at home, in our own bed, no sedatives other than your husband and the mid-wife.... girl power! Modern times are sneaking in epidurals, baths, we even have birth-hotels! Great write-up, very refreshing!

[Deborah Dowd]

I am totally with you- the idea that you can't eat certain cheeses, tuna, salmon,etc. seems a little crazy to me. While I think you should be careful to eat a well-balanced diet, I think all these rules are not benefitting baby or mother. During one of my pregnancies, I drank so much chocolate milk (I craved it) that I thought my daughter would be born dark brown like a little chocolate bunny! I guess the pendulum is swinging back to induced births and bottle feeding, but I think its best to let the baby come when its ready (with the exception of medical reasons, of course)and nursing at least for a few months!

BTW, your prawns look wonderful!

[robin]

I made the prawns for dinner and they were FABULOUS! My teenager & I had a blast cooking on a gloomy rainy day. And our Thai dinner (Tom Ka Gai soup, Johanna's prawns, Thai chicken with basil) was outstanding.

As for pregnancy, years ago I had a very wise obstetrician advise me on all things in moderation. In his African accent, he said, "I don't care if you have a glass of wine or a cup of coffee, just don't drink 5 of them. Women have been having babies since time began. Exercise moderation and you'll be fine." His advice was liberating because it eliminated the "forbidden fruit" that drives everyone crazy for 9 months.

[johanna]

Hi robin,

I am so pleased to hear that the prawns were a success… and the rest of the meal sounds just wonderful, too!
I would agree on you’re doctor’s advice, I kept drinking coffee as well, but had no alcohol to speak of, maybe a sip with a good meal but no more.
But it’s true… have everything, but don’t overdo it. Best advice ever!!!

[Sophie]

Everybody is just so laid back over here :-)
Robin your Doctor sounded great!

[sandi @ the whistlestop cafe]

Good advice! Things have not changed that much in 14 years. It starts the same and ends the same...happy baby.

[Jeanne]

Sophie - no worries, and no need to retreat to your corner! I just wanted to head things off at the pass before I started getting congratulatory e-mails from fellow-bloggers...! The whole pregnancy and food debate is really interesting. On the one hand you want to do what conventional wisdom says is best for the baby, and on the ohter hand you have to ask yourself how the world got to be so overpopulated when the vast majority of women don't have access to information telling them what not to eat. I mean, two generations ago, this information was unheard of - and food allergies were less common. All very complicated!

[Margaret Wise]

My daughter is about to give birth again, shortly. Too much emphasis is placed on the food she can/cannot eat! Give her a break, let her have a happy pregnancy. I am with Johanna on this one.

[Jerry]

My wife just recently gave birth as well. Trust me, they're just as hitler-esque in the U.S. about what a woman is... or is not, supposed to eat during pregnancy.

No caffeine, no alcohol (funny, they used to suggest a glass or red wine per week. And the syndrome it's supposed to save your child from generally occurs only in the first trimester, not after, but I digress)

No honey (It might have bacteria). Only meat well. (yeah, stuffit Doc. I have a meat thermomiter, and all the lil' germies were long gone at medium rare)

More power to you for making your own choices!

[Monika Korngut]

Good post, Very good timing for me, I just found out that I'm pregnant. I'm so tired of people telling me what I can or can not eat or drink. I can understand alcohol but coffee. Most books say you can have 2 coffee cups a day, not huge but nevertheless. I think women should be smart about having a healthy and diverse diet, and allow ourselves to follow cravings.

[Foodfreak]

Sounds and looks to die for (not literally, of course) - just put it on my ever growing to-try list! and a great read, too.

[Anna]

australia is just as food phobic so your thoughts are very refreshing! whenever friends of mine are pregnant they are aghast when i tell them to ignore all the scare tactics.

i keep pointing out that people have been having babies for forever without worrying about all that mumbo jumbo - i mean our mother's didn't have to worry about all these food laws, did they!?!? and we're alive!!!

i'm not pregnant and i've never had a baby, but i'm ashamed to admit i'll almost certainly be "too posh to push".

but i'll eat everything . . . does that make up for it?

[johanna]

maybe it's me who's the whimp as i'd rather die than undergo an operation... i am scared at the mere thought of a needle going in my spine or somebody cutting me open - so having my babies naturally was an easy option for me ;-)

i had forgotten about the honey - true! how ridiculous is that! people seem to forget that we need bacteria to live, they're not all killer bugs!