Dragon Body Phoenix Tail Prawns
An exquisite Chinese dish where prawns are elegantly shaped like phoenix tails, steamed to tender perfection and glazed with a light savory sauce. A centerpiece for banquets.
Ingredients
12 items- Large prawns 12
- Shrimp meat 100g
- Pork fatback 20g
- Egg whites 2
- Cornstarch as needed
- Salt to taste
- Cooking wine 1 tbsp
- White pepper pinch
- Ginger juice 1 tsp
- Broth 150 ml
- Jinhua ham 20g
- Baby bok choy few
Nutrition
Steps （7 steps）
Peel 12 prawns leaving tails intact, butterfly the back and devein. Lightly flatten with a knife, then marinate with a pinch of salt, 1 tbsp wine, and half an egg white for 10 minutes.
Mince 100g shrimp meat and 20g pork fatback. Mix with remaining egg white, ginger juice, white pepper, and salt. Stir in one direction until sticky and firm. Chill.
Pat marinated prawns dry. Dust inner side with cornstarch. Place about 15g shrimp paste on each, shaping into a phoenix tail with the end upright.
Oil a plate, place stuffed prawns on it. Steam over high heat for 5 minutes until prawns turn white and paste sets. Remove and drain liquid.
Arrange prawns on a serving plate tails outward in a radial pattern. Place blanched bok choy in the center.
Bring 150ml broth to a boil, season with salt and white pepper. Thicken with cornstarch slurry until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Drizzle with sesame oil.
Pour the sauce evenly over the prawns, sprinkle with minced ham and scallions. Serve.
Tips
Mix the shrimp paste vigorously in one direction for a springy texture. Steam over high heat briefly to keep the prawns tender. The sauce should be thin and glossy to enhance the presentation.
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