Golden fragrant prawns and garlic greens

Golden fragrant prawns and garlic greens
Prepare
30 mins to 1 hour
Cook
10 to 30 mins
Serve
Serves 4

Golden prawns, accompanied by vibrant choi sum. Perfect as a midweek meal or speedy weekend winner!

By Mandy Yin

From Saturday Kitchen Best Bites

Shopping list

Ingredients

For the prawns

  • 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

For the spice paste

  • 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

For the sauce

For the garlic fried choi sum

  • 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

Method

  1. To make the prawns, marinate the prawns with the garlic powder in a bowl for 30 minutes.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. To make the spice paste, blitz all of the ingredients to a fine purée in a blender or food processor.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. Add the prawns back to the wok and stir to incorporate. Garnish with the red chillies.

  8. 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.

  9. Serve the fragrant prawns with the garlic fried choi sum.