Korean Salt-Grilled King Prawns
Quick answer
Daeha-sogeum-gui is a Korean salt-grilled king prawn preparation where whole shell-on prawns are placed directly on a bed of coarse sea salt and cooked over indirect heat.
What makes this special
- Whole king prawns rest on a bed of coarse sea salt for this traditional Korean Salt-Grilled King Prawns.
- Coarse salt bed conducts heat indirectly, keeping prawns plump
- Scissors slit along the back removes the vein and any off-notes
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Trim the antennae and sharp horn tips from 10 king prawns with kitchen scissors.
- 2 Rinse the trimmed prawns quickly under running water, then pat them very dry with paper towels.
- 3 Spread 300 g coarse salt evenly across the pan in a layer about 1 cm thick.
Daeha-sogeum-gui is a Korean salt-grilled king prawn preparation where whole shell-on prawns are placed directly on a bed of coarse sea salt and cooked over indirect heat. The salt draws out surface moisture while conducting steady, even heat beneath the shells, so the prawns essentially steam inside their own carapace and keep their flesh springy rather than contracted. Scoring the back with kitchen scissors and removing the intestinal tract before cooking eliminates any off-note from the gut, leaving only the clean, natural sweetness of the prawn. The precise moment to pull them from the heat is when the shells turn a solid bright orange, as any longer drives off the moisture that keeps the flesh tender. A squeeze of fresh lemon adds acidity that sharpens the natural umami without masking it, and the dish works well with no additional seasoning at all.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Trim the antennae and sharp horn tips from 10 king prawns with kitchen scissors.
Cut a shallow line along the back of each shell and pull out the dark vein so the sweetness stays clean.
- 2Season
Rinse the trimmed prawns quickly under running water, then pat them very dry with paper towels.
Excess surface water makes the salt spit and can dilute the shell-on steaming effect.
- 3Control
Spread 300 g coarse salt evenly across the pan in a layer about 1 cm thick.
Heat it over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the whole salt bed feels hot and dry.
- 4Season
Lay the prawns on the hot salt without overlapping them.
Keep the heat at medium and cook the first side for 3 to 4 minutes, watching for the shells to turn bright orange.
- 5Heat
Turn the prawns and cook the second side for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove them as soon as the shells are fully orange and the flesh looks white and opaque, before the meat tightens.
- 6Finish
In a small pan, melt 20 g butter with 1 tbsp minced garlic and 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-low heat for about 1 minute.
Brush it over the prawns, then finish with black pepper and lemon juice.
After the steps
Pick a recipe that fits this dish.
Continue with shared ingredients, meal pairings, or a similar method.
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