Equipment
Ingredients
Prawns & Marinade
- 400 g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined, tails left on
- 15 ml tamari soy sauce
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 30 ml neutral cooking oil
- 15 g fresh garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced
- 5 g bird's eye chilies, thinly sliced
- 150 g red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
- 100 g snow peas, ends trimmed and tough strings removed
Sauce & Garnish
- 15 ml tamari soy sauce
- 15 ml chili oil
- 20 g green onions, thinly sliced on the bias
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
In a mixing bowl, toss the raw prawns with the first portion of tamari and the toasted sesame oil. Wash your hands, cutting board, and all surfaces thoroughly after handling the raw seafood to prevent cross-contamination. Allow the prawns to marinate at room temperature for 5 minutes.
Place a wok over high heat. Add the neutral cooking oil and heat until shimmering and almost smoking. A drop of water flicked into the oil should sizzle and evaporate instantly.
Carefully add the marinated prawns to the hot wok in a single layer to ensure proper browning. Sear for 1 to 2 minutes per side until they turn opaque pink and reach a safe internal temperature of 63°C/145°F. Remove the prawns immediately and set them aside on a clean plate.
Reduce the heat slightly to medium-high. Add the minced garlic, ginger, and sliced bird's eye chilies to the remaining oil in the wok. Stir continuously for 30 seconds until highly aromatic, ensuring the garlic does not burn and turn bitter.
Increase the heat back to high. Add the sliced red bell pepper and prepared snow peas. Stir-fry rapidly using a spatula for 2 minutes, tossing frequently until the vegetables are vibrant and crisp-tender.
Return the cooked prawns to the wok along with any resting juices that accumulated on the plate. Pour in the remaining tamari and the chili oil. Toss everything together vigorously for 1 minute until well coated in the sauce and fully heated through.
Remove the wok from the heat. Scatter the thinly sliced green onions over the stir-fry. Plate immediately and serve while piping hot, ideally accompanied by steamed jasmine rice or noodles.
Chef's Notes
- Mise en place is absolutely critical for this recipe. A stir-fry moves incredibly fast, so having every ingredient measured, chopped, and positioned by the stove before you turn on the heat will guarantee success.
- Leaving the tails on the prawns is not just an aesthetic choice; the shells contain high concentrations of savory compounds that enhance the flavor of the cooking oil as they sear.
- To achieve a true restaurant-quality wok hei (breath of the wok) at home, dry your prawns exceptionally well with paper towels before marinating. Excess moisture lowers wok temperature and leads to steaming rather than searing.
- Adjust the heat level by altering how you prep the bird's eye chilies. Slicing them whole retains maximum heat, whereas halving and discarding the seeds and white membranes will provide floral chili flavor with significantly less burn.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Seafood degrades quickly in quality.
Reheating: Warm gently in a pan over medium-low heat until just heated through. Do not microwave, as this will overcook the prawns and make them rubbery.
