Butter Prawn

Method4 steps · about 20 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Keep the prawn heads and shells on, but trim away the eyes and legs with scissors. Slit along each back to remove the vein, then pat all the prawns dry. Dry-fry all 6 tbsp grated coconut in a dry pan, stirring until golden brown, and reserve it for step 3. Chop all the garlic (3 cloves), strip the leaves from the curry-leaf sprigs and pound the optional chilies before starting the quick prawn frying.

   Uses 1 lb prawns with heads and shells on, such as tiger prawns · 6 tbsp grated coconut, dry-fried until golden brown · 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped · Leaves from 3 sprigs curry leaves; discard the stalks · 1–2 small bird’s-eye chilies, pounded, optional

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat all 1 tbsp cooking oil in a skillet. Pan-fry all the prepared prawns from step 1 just until the shells begin changing color, leaving the prawns partly cooked. Drain and keep them ready to return immediately in step 3; continue straight to the final cooking.

   Uses 1 tbsp cooking oil · All the prepared, dried prawns from step 1

3. 3

   Step 3: Melt all 3 tbsp butter in the skillet. Add all the chopped garlic, the leaves from 3 sprigs curry leaves and the optional pounded chilies if using. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until aromatic. Return all the partly cooked prawns from step 2 and add all the oyster sauce (1 tbsp), Chinese cooking wine (1 tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), 3 dashes black pepper and the golden dry-fried coconut prepared in step 1. Stir frequently over high heat for about 1–2 minutes, continuing as needed until the prawn flesh is pearly and opaque throughout; the prawns must finish cooking before serving.

   Check final prawn stir-fry · 1 minUses 3 tbsp unsalted butter · All 3 chopped garlic cloves prepared in step 1 · All the leaves stripped from 3 curry-leaf sprigs in step 1 · All 1–2 pounded bird’s-eye chilies from step 1, if using · All the partly cooked prawns from step 2 · 1 tbsp oyster sauce · 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine, preferably rice wine · 1 tsp sugar

4. 4

   Step 4: Serve the complete finished butter prawns from step 3 immediately as 4 portions. Remove the shells and heads while eating. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 days.

   Uses All the fully cooked prawns with butter, aromatics, seasonings and coconut from step 3