Chinese Steamed Prawns with Ginger Scallion Soy Sauce

~One of my favorite flavors growing up is the taste of soy sauce combined with hot oil.  I tried many times but could not figure out how to produce that elusive flavor of “cooked oil”.  My mother loves food as well, but has a tendency to “accidentally” forget to tell me crucial steps.  After a thorough line of questioning, I finally came upon the secret; you cook the oil separately and then “flash fry” the sauce.  This sauce can be used for dipping a variety of proteins, from Chinese steamed fish or poached chicken. I like it best with steamed prawns; and it does not get any better than fresh spot prawns which were still swimming an hour before cooking.  Cooking prawns in their shell help to retain more of the flavor. You will get your hands dirty, but it’s completely worth it.

Ingredients:

2 lbs Fresh Spot Prawns

1 small piece of rock sugar (approximately 1 tsp)

1 scallion- shredded thinly

1 tbsp minced ginger

3 tbsp light soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil

Fresh ground pepper

White pepper

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, a few cracks of fresh ground pepper, a pinch of white pepper, ginger, and scallions. Place bowl in an empty sink as this will ensure less splattering.
2. Warm pan on medium high heat. Add vegetable oil. Wait approximately 2-3 min for oil to heat. Once it reaches a smoking point, quickly take it off heat and pour about half of the oil over sauce, then stand back. Set aside to serve with prawns.
3. Devein all prawns and rinse under ice cold water.
4. In a medium pot, fill water up to halfway. Once water comes to boil, add rock sugar. Then add prawns. Prawns will cook very quickly. Once they turn orange, fish them out and set aside on platter.
5. Serve immediately.