RECIPE: Chilli Prawns

As you probably know, for most of the first part of our married life, Mark and I lived in the Far East. We loved eating in Chinese restaurants, and one of my favourite dishes was Chilli Prawns. I tried many times to reproduce the dish at home, and although it was slightly different everywhere we ate, it always had a "certain something" that I couldn't quite capture at home.

Until, that is, I found a shop that sold bilingual English and Chinese recipe books. I bought several and although they all included different recipes for it, they had one ingredient in common....... TOMATO KETCHUP! Yes, that ordinary bottle of red gloopy stuff that lives in practically every kitchen (at least, here in the UK, but I suspect in many other places too).

Over the years I've tried many variations of this until I've distilled it down to my own, personal, very favourite version - and today I'm sharing it with you.  Incidentally although this recipe serves two, I only make it when I'm alone as Mark cannot eat any fish or seafood and he also hates green peppers, so as he was working away from home yesterday I treated myself and made my supper for two nights!

If your chilli isn't a very hot one, or you like to have the heat distributed evenly through the sauce, you could add a little hot chilli sauce when you add the ketchup mixture.

Chilli Prawns (serves 2)

1 pack (150-200g) large peeled prawns
1 dessertspoon light soy sauce
1 dessertspoon Chinese cooking wine (or dry sherry)

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
4 spring onions, sliced
1 large red chilli, seeded and sliced
1 green pepper, seeds and membrane removed, cut into 2-3cm squares
1 tbs sunflower, vegetable or groundnut oil

3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese Cooking wine (or dry sherry)

First of all, mix the prawns with the dessertspoons of wine and soy and set aside while you prepare the other ingredients. This can be done in advance, but you don't have to give them a good long marinating time as they shouldn't need any tenderising!

Mix together the tomato ketchup and the tablespoons of wine and soy.

Prepare  the ginger, chilli, spring onion and peppers.



all good to go......

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan and stir-fry the veg for 2-3 minutes. Add the prawns and mix well, then stir fry for 2 more minutes. Stir in the sauce mixture, mix well and bring to the boil.

That's all there is to it - easy, isn't it? And probably quicker than phoning out for a takeaway.



I'm sharing this with F1 Foods at Caroline Makes in honour of last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix

 

and with Tasty Tuesdays at Honest Mum