Deep Fried Honey Prawns

 

I don't deep fry anything due to my aversion to splattering hot oil and messy cleanups, but make an exception here for the big Australian black tiger prawns.  Greyish blue in colour with distinctive dark stripes, they turn scarlet red when cooked.  Battered and fried, these prawns become delectable morsels with meaty texture and bold flavour.  Dust them with cornflour or potato flour before coating them in a flour batter made with ice-cold water, which is important for a crispy finish.  Fry them in batches in a wok to avoid overcrowding and lowering the required temperature.  (You'll find the carbon steel wok most responsive to temperature control and its flare sides perfect for catching mess.)  To serve, drizzle over a honey sauce like what they do in Chinese restaurants.  Lovely with steamed rice.  If you haven't got black tiger prawns, do not despair as any large, good quality prawns would work.

Serves 3

INGREDIENTS

• 15 large raw prawns
• 1 tablespoon Chinese Shaoxin wine
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 25g / 1oz cornflour or potato flour, for dusting the prawns
• 2 tablespoons spring onion, finely chopped, for garnishing

For the batter:

• 80g / 2¾oz plain flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 40g / 1½oz cornflour or potato flour
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ cup ice-cold water

For the honey sauce:

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar

METHOD

1. Shell and devein prawns, leaving tails intact.  Marinade prawns with wine, salt and pepper for 10-15 minutes.
2. Make the honey sauce by combining soy sauce, honey & rice vinegar in a small saucepan.  Heat on low for 1 minute or so, stirring, until well combined.  Set aside to cool.
3. Place cornflour or potato flour in a small bowl, for dusting.
4. In a medium-size bowl, combine flour, cornflour and salt.  Add the ice-cold water a little at a time and whisk until you have a smooth batter.  Rest the batter in the fridge for 20 minutes.
5. Heat oil in a wok on medium-high until hot.  To test if the oil is hot enough for deep drying, place the end of a wooden chopstick into the oil.  If bubbles begin to form around the chopstick, the oil is ready for action.
6. Deep fry the prawns in 3 batches (5 at a time).  Holding the tail of the prawn with a pair of tongs or your fingertips, dip it into the cornflour to dust, then dip it into the batter to coat.  Shake off any excess batter.   Carefully drop the battered prawn into hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes, turning once or twice, until golden brown.  Reduce the heat slightly if the oil is bubbling up too furiously.  Retrieve the cooked prawns carefully from the hot oil with tongs or a strainer ladle and transfer to a serving platter.  
7. Drizzle honey sauce over the prawns.  Garnish with spring onions.  Serve immediately with steamed rice and vegetables.

Notes:  

• Coating food with potato flour tends to give them a golden and crispy outer layer during the frying process.  If you don't have potato flour, cornflour is also good.
• Before you fry, align the bowls containing the prawns, cornflour, batter, the wok and the serving platter in a production line for ease of operation.
• Prawn heads and shells can be saved and kept in the freezer for making stock another time.
• Strain the leftover oil, once cooled, into a lidded jar and store in a cool, dark place up to a few days.  I reuse it for stir fry dishes.