Kung Po Prawns

Method4 steps · about 20 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel the raw prawns (400 g large) if needed, cut along their backs nearly through and remove the dark veins to butterfly them. Mix the cornstarch (1 tsp) with one tablespoon light soy sauce and toss with all the raw prawns. Cover and refrigerate for ten minutes. In a separate clean bowl, stir the Chinese rice vinegar (2 tbsp), remaining tablespoon light soy sauce, heaped tablespoon tomato paste, caster sugar (1 tsp) and two tablespoons water together; keep this clean sauce away from raw prawns and their utensils.

   Refrigerated raw-prawn marinating while making clean sauce · 10 minUses 400 g large raw prawns, peeled and butterflied in step 1 · 1 tbsp light soy sauce for raw-prawn marinade · 1 tsp cornstarch · 2 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar · Remaining 1 tbsp light soy sauce for a separate clean sauce · 1 heaped tbsp concentrated tomato paste · 1 tsp caster sugar · 2 tbsp water for the clean prawn sauce

2. 2

   Step 2: Heat a large wok or frying pan until very hot and add one tablespoon of the sunflower oil (1 tbsp). Fry all the actual marinated prawns until opened out and golden in places, then lift them onto a clean plate. Keep any loose raw-prawn-contact marinade out of the separate clean sauce.

   Uses Only all the marinated raw prawns; continue holding the clean sauce separately · 1 tbsp sunflower oil for the prawns

3. 3

   Step 3: Drain both cans of water chestnuts. Peel and finely grate the thumb-sized ginger (1) piece, and peel and finely chop both garlic cloves (2). Heat the remaining tablespoon sunflower oil in the wok. Stir-fry all the roasted peanuts (85 g), three dried chilies and drained chestnuts for two minutes until the peanuts begin to colour, then add all the grated ginger and chopped garlic and fry for one further minute.

   Peanuts/chilies/chestnuts 2 min, then ginger/garlic 1 min · 3 minUses Remaining 1 tbsp sunflower oil for vegetables · 85 g unsalted roasted peanuts · 3 large whole dried chilies · 2 cans water chestnuts, 225 g each before draining · 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, finely grated in step 3 · 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped in step 3

4. 4

   Step 4: Return all the actual fried prawns to the cooked peanut-chestnut base and add all the separate clean sauce. Simmer together for about two minutes until slightly thickened and every prawn is firm and fully opaque, continuing as needed until cooked through. Serve in four portions with optional cooked rice as desired; the whole dried chilies can be left aside if you do not wish to eat them.

   Finish prawns and thicken their clean sauce · 2 minUses All the cooked peanut-chestnut-aromatic base · All the prawns on the clean plate · Only all the untouched clean vinegar-tomato sauce · Cooked rice for optional serving, as desired