Sichuan salt and pepper king prawns with wok-toasted chilli and garlic

An extremely popular dish with universal appeal. It serves four as an entree or two as a main course.

Credit: New Holland

• serves

  4

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  5 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

For the prawns

• 20 large king prawns, peeled
• 2 tbsp mushroom soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Chinese rice wine (shaoxing)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 egg, beaten

Chilli and garlic

• 2 long red chillies, finely sliced
• 2 long green chillies, finely sliced
• 2 bird eye’s chillies, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp spring onion (scallion), finely sliced
• 1 tsp Sichuan salt and pepper

To finish

• vegetable oil, for frying
• 200 g tapioca starch
• 1 tbsp Sichuan salt and pepper, plus extra for dipping
• fresh coriander leaves and lime wedges, to serve

Marinating time 20 minutes or overnight

Instructions

To prepare the prawns, make an incision down the back and removing any intestinal tract. Make the slit deep enough so that the prawns can be butterflied easily.

Marinate the prawns with soy, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil and egg for at least 20 minutes, or overnight if possible.

To make the chilli and garlic, dry toast all ingredients, except the Sichuan salt and pepper, in a wok or frying pan until fragrant and slightly blackened. Season with Sichuan salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, set up a fryer at 180°C.

Dredge the prawns through the tapioca starch, making sure all surfaces are well coated. Gather up a few prawns while in the starch and give them a slight scrunch to help pack on the starch. Repeat with the remaining prawns.

Gently shake off the excess before frying in two batches. Fry each batch for 1½ minutes. Drain on paper towel.

Sprinkle Sichuan salt and pepper over the prawns and pile up on a plate. Season the toasted chilli and garlic with a generous sprinkle of Sichuan salt and pepper.

Serve with coriander sprinkled over, lime wedges and extra Sichuan salt and pepper for dipping.

Recipe and image from China Doll by Frank Shek (New Holland, $49.99, hbk). Read our review and find more recipes from the book here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.