Chili Garlic Prawns

Method7 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel and devein all ten large prawns, cutting slightly into their backs to butterfly them. Rinse briefly in a contained bowl of separate clean water, drain and pat dry. Discard that rinse water and clean the raw-seafood tools and surfaces before preparing other ingredients.

   Uses 10 prawns · Separate clean water for contained prawn rinsing; discarded

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the cleaned prawns with the separate ¼ teaspoon prawn salt and all ¼ teaspoon white pepper, then add all 1½ teaspoons cornstarch and mix until evenly coated. This is a short coating step; keep chilled if there is any delay before cooking.

   Uses Cleaned and butterflied prawns · ¼ teaspoon salt for prawns · 0.25 tsp white pepper · 1.5 tsp cornstarch

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Heat all 2 tablespoons oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear the coated prawns for 30–40 seconds on EACH side until surface-browned, then transfer them to a clean plate for the final cooking in step 7. Leave the actual frying oil in the pan for the aromatics. Separately retain any starchy liquid left in the coating bowl for step 6; it has touched raw prawns and must be boiled before serving.

   Initial prawn sear: 30–40 seconds per side · 1 minUses 2 tbsp oil · Cornstarch-coated seasoned prawns

   
4. 4

   Step 4: In a clean bowl, combine all 2 tablespoons sriracha, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 teaspoons vinegar and 0.67 cup sauce water. Mix evenly and taste this clean sauce; add from the separate optional ¼ teaspoon sauce-salt allowance only if needed.

   Uses 2 tbsp sriracha · 2 tbsp ketchup · 1 tbsp honey · 2 tsp vinegar · 0.67 cup water · Up to ¼ teaspoon salt for sauce, only if needed

   
5. 5

   Step 5: In the same pan with the reserved frying oil, sauté the two minced garlic cloves and chopped half onion over medium heat for about 1 minute, until they begin to turn golden. Keep the optional spring onion garnish for the final step.

   Sauté garlic and onion: about 1 minute · 1 minUses Pan with remaining prawn-frying oil · 2 garlic cloves, minced · ½ onion, chopped

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Pour all the clean sauce from step 4 into the cooked garlic-onion pan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes. Then stir in all the actual reserved starchy liquid from the raw-prawn coating bowl. Bring the entire sauce to a full boil after that addition and cook, stirring, until the starch is cooked and the sauce thickens; do not taste or serve the raw-contact liquid before it has boiled.

   Initial clean sauce simmer: 1–2 minutes · 2 minUses Sautéed garlic and onion in frying oil · Mixed clean sriracha-ketchup sauce · Actual starchy liquid remaining from prawn coating

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Return all the seared prawns to the fully boiled thickened sauce. Stir to coat and continue cooking until every prawn is opaque and firm through its center; surface browning alone is not completion. Turn off the heat, sprinkle optional chopped spring onion and serve two side portions promptly.

   Uses Seared prawns reserved for final cooking · Boiled thickened chilli-garlic sauce · Chopped spring onion for garnish, optional