Steamed Drunken Prawns
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 12 large +/- 550 grams prawns 12只大虾（约550克）
- 9 grams goji berry 9克枸杞
- 4 tablespoons Chinese rice wine 4汤匙米酒
- 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4茶匙盐
- 8 grams ginger julienned 8克姜丝
Garnish 装饰:
- 2 sprigs spring onions 2 根小葱
- 7 grams ginger julienned 7 克姜丝
Instructions
Prepare the spring onions
- Trim off the ends of the spring onions.
- Cut them into about 3-inch lengths.
- Slice each piece into thin strips.
- Soak the sliced spring onions in cold water so they curl up. Set aside.
Prepare the prawns
- Trim off the eyes, legs, and the sharp pointy tip of each prawn.
- Remove the black pouch located just beneath the tip.
- Make a slit along the body of the prawn.
- Remove the black vein running along the back.
- The green part inside is edible and does not need to be removed.
Assemble the dish
- Rinse the goji berries with water.
- Transfer the goji berries to a heatproof plate.
- Arrange the prepared prawns on top of the goji berries.
- Pour rice wine evenly over the prawns.
- Season lightly with salt.
- Add ginger slices on top.
Steam the prawns
- Bring the water in a wok or steamer to a full boil.
- Steam the prawns on high heat for about 3 minutes, or until the shells turn pinkish orange.
Finish and garnish
- Remove the dish from the steamer.
- Garnish with fresh ginger and the curled spring onions.
- Rearrange the goji berries over the prawns just before serving.
- Spoon some of the steaming juices over the prawns if desired.
Notes
Keep the ingredients simple:
This version uses very few ingredients and no herbs, so you can fully enjoy the natural sweetness of the prawns. Soak spring onions in cold water:
Soaking the sliced spring onions in cold water helps them curl up naturally, making them more visually appealing as a garnish. Use rice wine for a clean flavour:
Rice wine is colourless and gives a clean, fragrant aroma. Shaoxing wine can also be used, but rice wine is preferred for this recipe. Steam on high heat and keep it short:
High heat and a short steaming time help keep the prawns juicy and tender. Steam just until the shells turn pinkish orange. Over steaming can make the prawns rubbery and touch.
This version uses very few ingredients and no herbs, so you can fully enjoy the natural sweetness of the prawns. Soak spring onions in cold water:
Soaking the sliced spring onions in cold water helps them curl up naturally, making them more visually appealing as a garnish. Use rice wine for a clean flavour:
Rice wine is colourless and gives a clean, fragrant aroma. Shaoxing wine can also be used, but rice wine is preferred for this recipe. Steam on high heat and keep it short:
High heat and a short steaming time help keep the prawns juicy and tender. Steam just until the shells turn pinkish orange. Over steaming can make the prawns rubbery and touch.