How to make zaatar crusted prawns with a bulgur wheat

If you can’t make it to the Mediterranean this summer, bring the sea to your home with this dish inspired by the Levant

Zaatar-crusted prawns with a bulgur wheat and herb salad

Serves 4

20 raw prawns
2-3 tbsp olive oil
3-4 tbsp zaatar
½ tbsp plain flour

For the salad

100g bulgur wheat
1 red onion
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pomegranate
½ cucumber
½ bunch of dill
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
¼ bunch of mint

For the dressing

1 lemon
1 orange
5 tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sumac
½-1 tsp honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To serve

1 lemon


 With pomegrante, cucumber and bulgur wheat this prawn dish is summery and fresh 
 (Peter Cassidy)

For the salad, put the bulgur wheat in a medium bowl and pour boiling water over to cover. Leave to soak for 5-10 minutes until tender. Drain well and scatter over a tray lined with kitchen paper to absorb the moisture, then cover with kitchen paper.

Halve, peel and finely slice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a low heat and add the onion. Cook gently until just starting to soften, then increase the heat and allow it to brown a little. Remove from the heat, drain the onion of excess oil and transfer to a large bowl. Heat the oven to 120C.

Halve the pomegranate and extract the seeds. Cut the cucumber in half lengthways, deseed by scraping the length with a teaspoon, then finely dice. Pick the herbs into bite-sized sprigs or very coarsely chop. Add all these ingredients to the onions.

Once the bulgur wheat is dry, add it to the bowl.

For the dressing, juice the lemon and orange. Mix 1 tbsp of each with the olive oil, sumac, honey and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine, then set aside.

Remove the prawn shells, leaving the tail tip intact. Cut the lemon into wedges and reserve for serving.

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the frying pan over a medium heat. Mix the zaatar and flour with some salt and pepper in a large bowl. Dry the prawns and add them to the bowl. Toss in the zaatar mix to coat.

Fry the prawns in batches until pink and the tails have curled, 3-4 minutes. Keep the cooked prawns warm in the low oven while you fry the rest, adding 1 tbsp oil to the pan for each batch.

Add the dressing to the salad and toss together to coat. Divide the salad between 4 shallow bowls and arrange the prawns on top.

Variations: Replace the bulgur wheat with couscous or mograbiah.