Name: Salted Egg Prawns
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 500 g raw king prawns, shell on, back slit and deveined; 3 tbsp cornflour; 200 ml vegetable oil, for frying; 60 g salted egg yolks (about 4), steamed and mashed; 40 g butter; 2 sprigs curry leaves; 2 red chillies, sliced; 1 tsp sugar; 1 lime, cut into wedges

Salted Egg Prawns

Prawns in a light crisp coating tossed in a foaming sauce of salted egg yolk, butter, chilli and curry leaves.

25 min total Serves 4 servings Medium

Prawns with their shells on stay juicy, and the shell crisps into something you can eat whole. This is the Singapore and Malaysian way: large prawns, cut along the back and cooked with the shells intact, then tossed in a sandy golden coating. If you prefer to peel them, leave the tails on for a handhold.

Snip along the back of each prawn with kitchen scissors, take out the dark thread, and pat completely dry. Dry prawns crisp; wet ones spit. Dust them lightly in cornflour and fry in hot oil, 170°C / 340°F, for 2 minutes in two batches, until the shells are bright orange and slightly curled. Drain.

The sauce is the same as for salted egg chicken, built on the mashed cooked yolks. Melt butter in a clean pan, add curry leaves and a sliced chilli, cook until the leaves crackle, then tip in the yolks and stir. It froths up and turns into a thick, grainy sauce that clings.

The prawns go in for 20 seconds only. Longer than that and they toughen in the pan. Serve with rice and a squeeze of lime, and expect to lick your fingers.

How to Make Salted Egg Prawns

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Pat the prawns completely dry and dust with the cornflour.
Heat the oil to 170°C / 340°F. Fry the prawns in 2 batches for 2 minutes each, until bright orange. Drain.
Pour off all but a film of oil. Melt the butter and cook the curry leaves and chillies for 30 seconds.
Add the mashed yolks and sugar and stir until foaming, about 30 seconds.
Add the prawns, toss for 20 seconds and serve with the lime.

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A Few Pointers

Keep the prawn shells on for flavour.
Dry the prawns thoroughly.
Serve with finger bowls and napkins.

Changing the Recipe

Dried chilli flakes can stand in for the red chillies. Heat varies a great deal between chillies and between jars, so start with a small pinch and add more to taste.
Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.

Pairs Well With

Steamed rice · Stir-fried greens · Lime wedges · Cold beer

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Di San Xian, Eggplant with Garlic Sauce, Green Bean Stir Fry.

Storage

Best eaten straight away.