Shrimp "on the barbie," aka grill, is Australia's most famous culinary export. Even if you know nothing else about Down Under cooking, you're surely aware of how much Australians love grilling-especially seafood. If the truth be told, shrimp is something of a misnomer, as most Australians would say "prawns." The Chinese roots of this dish are obvious-a legacy of the huge influx of Asian immigrants to Australia in the 1970s and 80s. I love the way the sweetness of the honey and five-spice powder play off the nuttiness of the sesame seeds and sesame oil and the brininess of the shrimp and soy sauce.

1. Rinse the shrimp under cold running water, then drain them and blot dry with paper towels.

2. Combine 3 tablespoons of the sesame oil, the rice wine, soy sauce, honey, sesame seeds, chile sauce (if using), and five-spice powder in a large bowl and whisk to blend. Stir in the garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and shrimp and toss to coat, then cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp from the marinade to a bowl and toss it with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Pour the marinade into a saucepan. Using the slotted spoon, remove and discard the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Bring the marinade to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, uncovered, until it is a thick, syrupy glaze, about 3 minutes. Remove the glaze from the heat and set aside.

4. Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high.

5. When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the shrimp on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until nicely browned on the outside and firm and pink inside, about 2 minutes per side. Brush the shrimp with the glaze as they cook.

6. Transfer the shrimp to serving plates or a platter, sprinkle the scallion greens on top, and serve with lime wedges.

Note: Thais use sweet chile sauce like Americans use ketchup. Many supermarkets carry it (one good brand is A Taste of Thai), but if it's not available, simply omit it.

How to peel and devein shrimp
Shrimp is delectable grilled both in and out of the shell-leaving the shell on keeps the shrimp moist and flavorful-but sooner or later that shell has got to come off.
To peel a raw shrimp by hand: Pull off the legs; this will open up the shell on the underside. Loosen the shrimp from the shell with your fingers, then pull it free. Make sure you get all of the shell; the only part you might want to leave on, for aesthetic reasons, is the feathery tail.

To devein a peeled shrimp: The classic way is to cut a V-shaped groove down the back of the shrimp; the groove should be just deep enough to include the vein. Remove the wedge of flesh and the vein will come with it.

There's a lightning-quick method for deveining a peeled shrimp, one taught to me by a Louisianan. Insert the tine of a fork in the back of the shrimp, midway between the head and tail. Pull the fork gently away from the shrimp and the vein will come with it

Butterflying Shrimp
Once you have deveined the shrimp, you can butterfly them by making a deeper lengthwise cut in the flesh. Slice almost, but not quite entirely, through a shrimp and you will be able to open it up like a book.