Mexican · Authentic-ish Mexican
Coctel de Camaron
271 kcal a serving, against 397 for the traditional version. That is 126 kcal off, or 32%, with 42.4g of protein. Serves 4. 45 minutes plus chilling.
What the traditional version is
Poached prawns swimming in a sweet, chilled tomato broth heavily spiked with sugary ketchup, orange juice and lime juice. It's loaded with diced avocado, sharp white onion and chopped fresh coriander, and often finished with a heavy glug of olive oil right before it hits the table.
What changed, and what each change costs
40g of sugar and 30g of olive oil dropped to zero
The sugar in ketchup adds a massive amount of carbohydrates, and the oil adds unnecessary fat. Dropping both forces the fresh citrus and tomato to do the actual work of flavouring the broth without masking it behind a wall of sweetness.
What it costs you. The sauce loses that viscous, sticky mouthfeel you expect from a classic coastal Mexican cocktail. It's thinner and much sharper. Call it a very direct hit of acid that might catch you off guard rather than a sweet comfort blanket and you'll be about right.
300g of avocado reduced to 150g, and 600g of prawns bumped to 800g
Avocado is glorious but incredibly high in fat. Slashing it cuts the fat dramatically, while pushing up the volume of prawns gives you a lot more lean meat. This ensures you're actually eating a full meal, not just a snack.
What it costs you. You get fewer creamy bites of avocado to balance the sharp tomato broth. It's the first thing you'll notice, as the texture leans heavily on the firm prawns instead. If you love avocado, you'll feel the loss.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 397 | 271 |
| Protein | 33.2g | 42.4g |
| Fat | 19.6g | 6.9g |
| Saturated fat | 2.8g | 1.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 26.9g | 13g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 8.4g | 15.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Mexican prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. crustaceans.
The method is in the book
This is a deeply refreshing bowl of food. By removing the sugary base, the tomatoes and lime juice finally get to shine. Upping the prawns makes it a seriously filling dinner rather than a fleeting starter. It's a fantastic summer dish, even if it lacks the thick, sweet syrup of the original. The loss is a sugar rush. You get a massive hit of sharp, clean seafood, and I think that's a brilliant swap.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Mexican, along with 56 more. Buy the paperback