Stir-fried prawns with ginger and spring onion oil

Commonly used in the dish Hainanese chicken rice, this ginger and spring onion oil condiment is a technique worth learning! Frequently made with a mortar and pestle, this simple version can be made with just a microplane or a knife. Great for serving with a stir-fry dish like this, or keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge to spoon over poached chicken, meat or fish dishes.

• serves

  3

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  10 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Series. Cooking. Rated PG.

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The Cook Up with Adam Liaw

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Ingredients

• 8-10 extra-large green prawns, shells removed but tail-on
• Salt
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil, for stir-frying
• 300 g snow pea shoots
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tbsp concentrated chicken stock
• ¼ tsp sugar
• Coriander sprigs, to serve

For the ginger and spring onion oil

• 3 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
• Salt
• ¾ cup vegetable oil

Standing time: 10 minutes

Instructions

1. To make the ginger and spring onion oil, combine the ginger and spring onion in a heatproof bowl and season generously with salt. Heat the vegetable oil in a small saucepan until smoking, then pour the hot oil over the aromatics and allow to stand for 10 minutes before using.
2. Butterfly the prawns by splitting them down their back (but not all the way through). Sprinkle the prawns with salt. Heat a large wok or frying pan over high heat, then add the vegetable oil. Once hot, stir-fry the prawns until nearly cooked through, then toss the snow pea shoots through. Transfer to a serving plate.
3. Return the pan to the heat, add the Shaoxing wine, chicken stock, sugar and 2 tbsp of the ginger and spring onion oil. Cook for 1 minute, then pour it over the prawns and snow pea shoots. Garnish with coriander sprigs and serve.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.