Stir-Fried Prawns with Asparagus and Baby Corn

Another dish from Kylie Kwong’s, Recipes and Stories cookbook. In the Chinese culture a banquet can be a social or commercial event to celebrate anything from a graduation to a successful business deal. Dishes are chosen carefully as different foods symbolize recognizable meanings to the guests. A Chinese meal will consist of a number of dishes, all made to share. All the ingredients must be fresh and the finished food served immediately (a cook may make more than one trip to the market a day). As in most countries, food from the North will differ from the South as will food from the East and that from the West. For popular Chinese recipes, click here.

Serves 4 (as part of a banquet)
recipe from Kylie Kwong

400g king prawns
4 spears asparagus
1/4 cup peanut oil
1 tablespoon ginger julienne
4 fresh baby corn
2 tablespoons shao hsing wine
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup finely sliced fresh black cloud ear fungus
1/4 teaspoon black vinegar
1 tablespoon roughly chopped pak chii farang

Peel and devein the prawns (leave tails intact if desired). Butterfly the prawns by making a shallow cut along the back. Trim woody ends from asparagus and slice into 5cm lengths on the diagonal.

Heat peanut oil in a hot wok and stir-fry prawns for 1 minute. Add ginger, asparagus, baby corn and stir-fry for 1 minute. Pour in wine and simmer 10 seconds. Add sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add stock, then simmer for 2 minutes or until prawns are just tender. Finally, add cloud ear fungus, vinegar and pak chii farang. Stir to combine and serve immediately.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: Beautiful flavors, textures and taste hails from this dish!