Lemongrass Prawn Skewers (Takrite Goong)

Let's make the dipping sauce. Place the first 5 ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Leave aside to cool, adding the cucumber, coriander and spring onions just before serving.
2 cloves garlic, 200 ml rice vinegar OR lime juice, 2 tsp fish sauce, 4 Tbsp caster sugar, 1-2 red bird's eye chilli, ½ cucumber, 4 sprigs coriander, 2 spring onions
To make the skewers themselves, place all ingredients into a chopper and pulse until everything is nicely minced and thoroughly mixed.
400 g fresh prawns, 2 stalks lemongrass, 2 lime leaves, 4 sprigs fresh coriander leaves, 2 tsp fish sauce, ¼ tsp ground pepper, 2 cloves garlic
Divide the mixture up into equal sized balls, so the end result will be uniform.
Have a bowl of water at hand and with wet hands, take a ball and a lemongrass stalk. Flatten the ball in the palm of your hands, place the thicker end of the lemongrass in the middle and form the prawn paste into a ball around the lemongrass. See pic.
12 stalks lemongrass
Repeat with the rest.
Grill, barbecue or cook on a griddle for about 5 minutes each side.
Serve hot with the dipping sauce.