Soy Sauce King Prawn Stir Fry 豉油王煎蝦

By Ellen L. Published: 2011-08-22

This simple yet sophisticated stir fry of the Soy Sauce King Prawn, or 豉油王煎蝦, is a dish that tests the wok skills.  It is one of those fast and furious stir frys where your skill makes or breaks the dish.  So be forewarned.  And be challenged.  If you succeed you will have the sweet reward of succulent King Prawn cooked and flavoured to perfection.

The key to all successful stir frys is to have everything prepared in advance.  This includes having all ingredients cut to size or measured out and/or premixed.  For convenience, have everything in its own separate bowl next to the stove top for easy access.  

You want to be able to keep an eye on the wok at all times.  Then once you have that high heat going the only thing you need to worry about is the lighting fast cooking processes going on in your wok.  Empty your mind of all else and concentrate only on the wok and let the Soy Sauce King Prawn process flow through you.

'If you want to become full, let yourself be empty' 

-  quote from Tao Te Ching by Laozi, 6th century BC

Soy Sauce King Prawn Recipe 豉油王煎蝦
(Prep time: 5 mins  Cook time: 3 mins)

Ingredients:

• 6 King Prawns, either fresh or frozen
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1/2 tbsp Shao Hsing Rice Wine
• 1 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tbsp Brown Sugar, or Cane sugar
• 2 tbsp Spring onions, cut into rounds

Directions:

Defrost the prawns if using frozen.  We usually buy frozen and have had good experience of the shrimp being very fresh (I think because they are flash frozen right away after being caught).  Wash thoroughly.  With a scissors, cut off the antennae, legs and the sharp tip at the top of the head.  Snip open the prawn along his back, cutting into the flesh just a little bit.  Pull out and discard the grey thread you will see at the opened back, this is the intestine of the prawn.  Pat dry the prawns.

For the soy sauce, use an above average soy sauce as the simplicity of the ingredients demands finer quality.  Some good ones that we have tried are Kowloon Soy and Yuan's Soy Sauce.

Heat wok at high heat to smoking.  Add oil.  Turn to medium heat and slide shrimp in (be careful of spitting oil).  Don't touch for 30 seconds.  Flip prawns over and wait another 30 seconds.  Pour in Shao Hsing Rice Wine and stir constantly until alcohol has evaporated, approx 1 minute.  

Add dark and light soy sauce and sugar and toss to mix and then cover the wok.  After another 30 secs, open the cover and check if the shrimp is cooked by looking at the slit on the side.  The shrimp meat should be opaque pinky white and not grey.  Dish out and sprinkle with spring onions and serve.

Shrimp-ilicious Recipes at The Hong Kong Cookery:

Drunken Shrimp 醉蝦

Dragon Well Tea Shrimp Stir Fry 龍井炒蝦仁

Tofu with Shrimp 蝦仁豆腐

Chinese Shrimp & Eggs Stir Fry 蝦仁炒蛋

Stir Fried Ketchup Shrimp 茄汁蝦碌

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