Spicy Thai Barbecued Oysters

Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, cilantro, garlic and chile in a small bowl; stir until the sugar dissolves. Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving for flavors to develop. Adjust flavors to your taste.

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Bring oysters along with the sauce, a cutting board, an oven mitt, tongs and an oyster knife (or other small knife) to the grill.

Place oysters flat-side up on the grill rack. Close the lid and grill until the top shell pops open, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the oysters to the cutting board with tongs, keeping them as level as possible so the oyster “liquor” (salty seawater) doesn’t spill out.

Wear the oven mitt to hold the oyster and use the knife to remove the top shell, cutting the oyster away from the top shell and leaving it in the bottom shell. Periodically wipe your knife clean. Discard the top shells. Spoon about 1 teaspoon sauce onto each oyster. Return the oysters to the grill, close the lid and grill until the sauce is bubbling, 2 to 4 minutes more. Serve with small forks.

Note: Fish sauce is a pungent Southeast Asian condiment made from salted, fermented fish. Find it in the Asian-food section of large supermarkets and in Asian specialty markets. We use Thai Kitchen fish sauce (1,190 mg sodium per tablespoon) in our analyses.

To Make Ahead: Cover and refrigerate the sauce (Step 1) for up to 3 days; stir in the cilantro just before serving.