Tomato Prawns

The last two meals I cooked for girlfriends of mine were (to me) lackluster. So I did what I always do in these situations: I called mom.

The secret to cooking prawns, my mom taught me, is rinsing them under cold tap water for at least 5 minutes. This produces prawns that are crunchy to the bite, rather than mealy. I tested out that theory this week for The Boy, and it was astonishingly true!

The second secret to cooking prawns, my mom taught me, is using a little ginger to dispel the "fishy" smell and taste of seafood. Again, the theory tested well.

So I incorporated these two cooking tips into my stir-fry dish, Tomato Prawns, this week. This dish is yummy and despairingly easy - great for new moms with only two hands!

TOMATO PRAWNS

A - Meat and Marinade
10-15 tiger prawns, shell peeled and deveined
1/2 tsp salt

B - Aromatics
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 slices fresh ginger
4 cloves garlic, sliced finely into thin sections
3 stalks scallions, sliced finely into 1/2 cm sections - separate white and green parts
2 tomatoes, diced

C - Sauce
2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soya sauce) *
1 tbsp potato flour mixed with 3 tbsp water

* Note: This can be substituted with 2 tbsp light soya sauce and 1 tbsp sugar.

*****

A - Run the shelled and deveined prawns under a cold tap for at least 5 minutes. While the prawns are under the tap, you can prepare your aromatics (B). Afterwards, dry the prawns thoroughly with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt. Set aside for 15 minutes.

B - Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a wok, high heat. Fry the slices of ginger for a while until fragrant. Lower heat to medium, fry the white parts of the scallions and the garlic. Do not burn the garlic - if it browns, it will taste bitter!

Add the marinated prawns. Stir fry on both sides until the prawns turn red and are cooked.

C - Add the chopped tomatoes and green parts of the scallions, flipping the prawns as you do. Then add the kecap manis. Stir fry for a few seconds until the sauce bubbles. Then add the potato starch mixture. Take the wok off the heat once the sauce starts to thicken.

Serve immediately with steamed white rice and some green leafy vegetables.