Prawn
Golden fragrant prawns and garlic greens
Golden prawns, accompanied by vibrant choi sum. Perfect as a midweek meal or speedy weekend winner!
Ingredients:
- 500g/1lb 2oz raw king prawns, peeled (or leave the tails on if preferred)
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp dried shrimp
- 100ml/3½fl oz oil
- 2 fresh red chillies, finely sliced, to garnish
- 2 tbsp curry leaves
- 2.5cm/1in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 4 bird’s-eye chillies (if less heat preferred, use 1 large chilli instead), roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 100g/3½oz onion, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp yellow bean sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar, plus extra if needed
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- salt
- 4 tbsp oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 500g/1lb 2oz choi sum (alternatively use pak choi), cut into 5cm/2in pieces
- ½ tsp salt
- pinch ground white pepper
- 4 tbsp shop-bought fried shallots
Directions:
- To make the prawns, marinate the prawns with the garlic powder in a bowl for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the dried shrimp in a bowl and pour over 100ml/3½fl oz hot water to rehydrate. Leave for 30 minutes then drain, reserving the soaking water for the sauce.
- Blitz the rehydrated shrimp with 50ml/2fl oz of the oil in a blender or food processor, into a paste and transfer to a small bowl.
- To make the spice paste, blitz all of the ingredients to a fine purée in a blender or food processor.
- Heat the remaining 50ml/2fl oz oil in a wok over a high heat until smoking. Stir-fry the marinated prawns quickly until just cooked (this should take no more than 2 minutes). Transfer to a bowl or container and set aside.
- Using the same wok, turn the heat down to medium and stir-fry the blitzed shrimp paste for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the spice paste, sauce ingredients and the reserved shrimp soaking water. Stir-fry for about 10–15 minutes. Taste and add salt and sugar, if preferred.
- Add the prawns back to the wok and stir to incorporate. Garnish with the red chillies.
- To make the garlic greens, heat the oil in a lidded wok or large lidded frying pan over a high heat and stir-fry the garlic for 20 seconds. Add the choi sum, salt and pepper and stir to combine with the garlic. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes, stirring after 1 minute or so. Sprinkle with fried shallots.
- Serve the fragrant prawns with the garlic fried choi sum.