Sweet Sour Prawns

Posted 2014-07-14 by chef@home ⇒ follow

This vibrant and colourful seafood dish is full of a balanced flavour of sweet and sour. Beautiful crunchy and juicy prawns coated in tangy tomato sauce.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients
700g prawns
2 tbsp Shao Xing rice wine
2 slices ginger, smashed with the flat side of a cleaver
3 tsp roasted sesame oil
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 spring onions, white part only, finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 red capsicum, diced
1 green capsicum, diced
2 1/2 tbsp tomato sauce
2 tbsp clear rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

Method

Peel the prawns, score each one along the length of the back so the prawns will ‘butterfly’ when cooked, and devein them.

Place the prawns in a bowl and add the rice wine, ginger, 2 tsp of the sesame oil and 1 tbsp of the cornflour.

Pinch the ginger slices in the marinade repeatedly for several minutes to import the flavour into the marinade.

Toss lightly, then leave to marinate for 20 minutes.

Discard the ginger slices and drain the prawns. Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat, add 4 tbsp of oil and heat until very hot.

Add the prawns and toss lightly over high heat for about 1 1/2 mins, or until the prawns turn pink and curl up.

Remove with a wire sieve or slotted spoon and transfer to a plate.

Reheat the pan over high heat until very hot. Add the spring onions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 15 seconds, or until fragrant.

Add the red and green capsicum and stir-fry for 1 min.

Combine the tomato sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, salt and the remaining sesame oil and cornflour with 125ml water, add to the pan and simmer until thickened.