Luo Han Prawns
A classic Chinese dish: prawns stuffed with shrimp mousse, deep-fried until golden, then coated in a tangy-sweet tomato sauce. Crispy, juicy, and beautifully shaped.
Ingredients
15 items- Large prawns 12 (about 500g)
- Shrimp meat 150g
- Pork fat 30g
- Egg 1
- Cornstarch 2 tbsp
- Ginger 1 piece (10g)
- Scallions 2
- Salt 1 tsp
- Shaoxing wine 1 tbsp
- White pepper ½ tsp
- Ketchup 3 tbsp
- Sugar 1 tbsp
- Vinegar 1 tbsp
- Water 5 tbsp
- Cooking oil as needed
Nutrition
Steps (7 steps)
Peel prawns leaving tails on, butterfly from back without cutting through, remove vein, rinse and pat dry. Lightly score the meat to prevent curling.
Mince shrimp and pork fat into a fine paste. Add ginger, scallion, egg white, ½ tsp salt, wine, white pepper. Stir in one direction until sticky, then mix in ½ tbsp cornstarch.
Spread shrimp paste evenly on the cut side of each prawn, shaping into an oval. Dust a thin layer of cornstarch on the surface.
In a bowl, combine ketchup, sugar, vinegar, remaining salt, water, and ½ tbsp cornstarch. Stir well to make the sauce.
Heat oil to medium-high (170°C). Fry prawns with stuffed side down first for 1 min to set, then flip and fry 2 min until golden and cooked through. Drain.
Heat a little oil in wok over high heat, pour in sauce, stir quickly until boiling and thickened. Add prawns and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle scallions and serve at once.
Arrange prawns neatly on a plate, garnish if desired, and serve hot for best crispy texture.
Tips
Stir the filling in one direction continuously to develop elasticity. Maintain oil at 170°C to avoid burning. Add prawns to sauce only after it thickens for a crispy coating.
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