This simple stir-fried dish uses fresh Australian garlic in a buttery sauce to coat delicious and tender prawns. If you want to make things even easier, you can skip the deep-frying step and just cook the prawns directly in the garlic butter sauce.
Serves: 4-6 as part of a shared meal
Preparation time: 10 min Standing time: 15 min
Cooking time: 5 min
600g large green prawns
2 tablespoons cornflour, plus 1 teaspoon extra for thickening
1.5 litres vegetable oil, for deep frying
50g butter
10 garlic cloves, chopped roughly
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
a good pinch of sugar
Peel the prawns and reserve the shells. Butterfly the prawns by cutting a deep slit along the back of the prawns. Remove the intestine and flatten the prawn meat gently.
Place the reserved prawn shells in a saucepan with 1.5 litres of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes, then strain and discard the shells.
Place the prawn meat in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of cornflour and 125ml (½ cup) of cold tap water. Stir to combine, then rub the prawns in the cornflour mixture and set aside for at least 15 minutes.
Place the oil into a large saucepan and heat to 175˚C. Remove the prawns from the cornflour mixture and add to the hot oil. Deep-fry the prawns for about 2 minutes or until nearly cooked through, then remove and drain on a wire rack placed over a tray.
Heat a large wok over medium heat, then add the butter and the garlic. Fry the garlic for 1 minute until fragrant but not yet browned. Add 2 tablespoons of the prawn stock, the fish sauce, Shaoxing wine and a generous pinch of sugar. Add the prawns and toss through the garlic butter sauce. Mix the extra cornflour with 1 tablespoon cold water and add to the prawn mixture. Stir until the sauce has thickened slightly, then serve immediately.
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