Wild Smoked Tom Yum Lobster with Mango Salad

1. Prepare an ice bath for the lobster. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt heavily. Add the lobster for 1-2 minutes to release the meat from the shell, and then remove it from the pot and transfer it to the ice bath. Cut along the length of the tail (underside), and then carefully remove the meat. Keep the tail for serving.
2. To prepare the sauce, mix the ingredients for the tom yum sauce together. Cut each lobster tail into 2.5 cm cubes and coat in the tom yum sauce. Let it sit and marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Add some oil to a frypan and then heat to medium-high. Add the lobster, cook for a few minutes, and then add the seafood stock. Let the sauce reduce for a few minutes until the lobster is mostly cooked, then remove the pan from the stove.
4. Optional: Place a small metal bowl into the centre of the sauce. Add in the ghee, and then place the hot charcoal into the metal bowl in the ghee. Cover with a lid and let the dish smoke for 5-10 minutes.
5. While the lobster is smoking, prepare the mango salad. Whisk together all dressing ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Dice the mango and then mix it with the salad leaves. Mix the salad and dressing before serving, adding the peanuts and shallots.
6. After the lobster has finished smoking, remove the marinated lobster and the metal bowl containing the charcoal, and return the remaining sauce to the stove to reduce. Reduce by half and then pour over the lobster.
7. To serve, spoon the lobster into the tail and then cover it with more of the sauce. Serve with the mango salad on the side.

Serving suggestion: This recipe can form two mains or 4 entrées (half-tail lobster)

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Time-saving tips

• To save time, try and prep the lobster beforehand. This means, if you can, cooking the lobster for 1-2 minutes beforehand and releasing the meat from the shell. You can then dice this up and keep it aside until you’re ready to cook.
• If possible, I always like to prep other items, like cutting the mango or plucking the leaves for the salad. This can all be done beforehand, and you can mix them up for serving! The same goes for the dressing; always prep beforehand if you can; it will save you a bunch of time!
• And, if smoking, make sure to preheat your coals beforehand. It will save you a lot of time while waiting for that to heat up!
• I like to prepare this salad dressing in bulk. I usually keep a big jar of this in my fridge as it is a versatile dressing and can be used for salads like noodle bowls.