Sizzling Garlic Prawns - Recipe by Vincent Lim

Ingredients

Vegetable oil for ?ash-frying, plus 1 Tbs extra
1 × quantity velveted prawns (page 31)
6 sugar-snap peas
1 spring onion (scallion), cut into 6 cm lengths
10 garlic cloves, minced
2 slices of ginger
120mL chicken stock (page 32 or shop-bought)
3 tsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 tsp potato starch
2 tsp water
1/2 brown onion, thinly sliced
Red chilli slices, to garnish (optional)

Method

Fill a wok or large pot one-third full with oil and heat to 190 C over a medium–high heat. Flash-fry the velveted prawns until they are almost cooked through. Add the sugar snap peas with the spring onion and fry for an additional 30 seconds. Carefully strain the prawns and spring onion from the oil, placing them in a sieve or on a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Set the leftover oil aside for future use.

Meanwhile, place a cast-iron sizzling plate over your wok burner or in an oven preheated to 220 C to heat.

In the empty wok or frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and ginger slices, stir-frying until fragrant. Pour in half of the chicken stock, followed by the prawns. Stir in the Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, white pepper and the remaining chicken stock, bringing the mixture to a boil.

In a small bowl, mix the potato starch and water to make slurry. Slowly pour the slurry into the boiling sauce, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Remove from the heat once thickened.

By this time, the sizzling plate should be hot. Carefully remove it from the heat and place it on a heatproof board. Arrange the thinly sliced raw onion evenly over the hot plate, then immediately pour the finished garlic prawns and sauce over the top. The dish should sizzle as it makes contact with the plate.

Serve the sizzling garlic prawns immediately.

Credits: This is an edited extract from The Wolf of Wok Street by Vincent Lim, published by Hardie Grant Books. Photography by Alana Dimou.

Photo Credits: This is an edited extract from The Wolf of Wok Street by Vincent Lim, published by Hardie Grant Books. Photography by Alana Dimou.