If you're looking for an easy-to-make seafood dish, then Chinese butter prawns might be just what you need. This dish is a popular Chinese recipe that features succulent prawns coated in a creamy butter sauce that's both sweet and salty. The dish has a rich and savoury flavour that's sure to satisfy your taste buds.
To make Chinese butter prawns, you'll need a few essential ingredients such as prawns, cornflour, salt, cooking oil, butter, curry leaves, and chillies. Once you've gathered all the ingredients, you'll need to prepare the prawns by trimming and deveining them before deep-frying until they're 80% done. Then, you'll need to stir-fry the prawns with butter, curry leaves, and chillies until aromatic. Finally, you'll add the creamy butter sauce and toss the prawns until they're well coated.
Chinese butter prawns are a great dish to serve at dinner parties or family gatherings. They're easy to make, delicious, and sure to impress your guests. Plus, you can experiment with different types of seafood such as lobster or crab to add some variety to the dish.
Key Takeaways
- Chinese butter prawns are a popular Chinese recipe that features succulent prawns coated in a creamy butter sauce.
- To make Chinese butter prawns, you'll need essential ingredients such as prawns, cornflour, salt, cooking oil, butter, curry leaves, and chillies.
- Chinese butter prawns are a great dish to serve at dinner parties or family gatherings and can be made with different types of seafood such as lobster or crab.
Essential Ingredients
To make a delicious Chinese butter prawn dish, you will need to have the following essential ingredients:
Selecting the Best Prawns
The star of this dish is the prawns, so it is crucial to choose the best quality prawns you can find. Fresh prawns are always the best option, but if you cannot find fresh ones, frozen prawns are also an excellent choice. Look for prawns that are firm, with a shiny shell and a fresh smell. You can also use other seafood like lobster or crab as a substitute for prawns.
Butter and Aromatics
Butter is the key ingredient that gives this dish its rich, creamy flavour. Use unsalted butter for this recipe to control the saltiness of the dish. Aromatics such as garlic, ginger, and spring onions add depth and complexity to the dish. Use fresh garlic cloves for the best flavour.
Seasonings and Spices
Seasonings and spices are what give this dish its signature taste. Salt, sugar, and oyster sauce provide the right balance of saltiness and sweetness. Soy sauce and cooking wine add depth and complexity to the dish. Chilli adds a spicy kick, but it is optional. You can also add other spices and herbs like curry leaves, coriander, and black pepper for extra flavour.
When making Chinese butter prawns, it is important to balance the flavours of the dish. Use the right amount of seasoning and spices to bring out the best taste. With the right ingredients and the right balance of flavours, you can make a delicious Chinese butter prawn dish that your family and friends will love.
Preparation Techniques
Cleaning and Deveining Prawns
Before you start cooking, make sure that your prawns are cleaned and deveined. This will ensure that you have a tasty and healthy dish. To clean the prawns, rinse them under cold water and remove the shell. You can also leave the shell on if you prefer. Next, use a sharp knife to cut a shallow slit down the back of each prawn. Use the tip of the knife to remove the vein, which is the dark line running down the back of the prawn. Removing the vein will improve the texture and flavour of the dish.
Marinating for Flavour
Marinating the prawns is an essential step in creating a delicious butter prawn dish. To marinate the prawns, you can use a combination of oyster sauce, soy sauce, lemon juice, salt, and sugar. These ingredients will help to balance the flavours and give the dish a savoury and slightly sweet taste. You can also add black pepper to enhance the flavour of the dish. Mix the prawns with the marinade and let it sit for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the prawns to absorb the flavour of the marinade.
If you want to add more seafood to your dish, you can use a combination of prawns and other seafood such as squid or scallops. Make sure that you adjust the cooking time accordingly for each type of seafood. In addition, make sure that the seafood is fresh and properly cleaned before cooking.
Cooking Method
Stir-Frying in a Wok
To achieve the perfect flavour and texture of Chinese butter prawns, it is recommended to use a wok. A wok is a versatile cooking tool that can be used for stir-frying, deep-frying, and more. When stir-frying the prawns, it is important to use high heat and cook them quickly to prevent them from becoming overcooked and rubbery.
Start by heating up your wok with cooking oil until it is hot. Then, add the prawns and stir-fry them for a few minutes until they turn pink. Next, add the butter and other seasonings, such as garlic, ginger, and chilli, to the wok and continue to stir-fry until the prawns are fully coated.
Achieving the Perfect Crispiness
One of the best things about Chinese butter prawns is the crispy texture that the prawns have. To achieve this, it is important to deep-fry the prawns before stir-frying them.
Before deep-frying the prawns, it is recommended to coat them with a mixture of salt and cornflour. This will help to enhance the flavour of the prawns and give them a crispy texture. Heat up your oil in a pan until it is hot, then carefully add the prawns and fry them until they are golden brown.
Proposed suggestion: Seafood lovers can also use other types of seafood, such as squid or scallops, to make this recipe. These seafood options will give the dish a different texture and flavour, but will still be just as delicious as the original butter prawn recipe.
Serving and Presentation
When it comes to serving and presentation of Chinese-style butter prawns, there are a few things to consider to make the dish look and taste great.
Accompaniments
Chinese-style butter prawns are best served with steamed rice. The rice helps to balance out the richness of the butter sauce and provides a neutral base for the prawns. You can also serve the prawns with noodles for a more filling meal.
If you want to add some vegetables to the dish, you can serve it with some stir-fried bok choy or Chinese broccoli. These vegetables go well with the buttery prawns and add some colour to the dish.
Garnishing
To add some extra flavour and texture to the dish, you can garnish the butter prawns with some lemon juice, chopped parsley, or grated coconut. The lemon juice adds a tangy flavour that cuts through the richness of the butter sauce, while the parsley adds a fresh herbal note. The grated coconut adds a crunchy texture and a subtle sweetness to the dish.
If you want to add some heat to the dish, you can sprinkle some chilli flakes over the prawns. This will give the dish a spicy kick that complements the buttery flavour of the sauce.
Seafood lovers can also add other types of seafood to the dish, such as tiger prawns or squid rings. These seafood options can be used as a substitute for the prawns or added to the dish for a more diverse flavour.
The serving and presentation of Chinese-style butter prawns is an important aspect of the dish. With the right accompaniments and garnishes, you can elevate the dish to a whole new level.
Nutritional Information
If you're looking for a delicious, savoury dish that's low in calories, then Chinese butter prawns are a great option. Not only do they taste amazing, but they're also a healthier alternative to many other fried dishes. Here's some nutritional information to help you make an informed decision about whether this dish is right for you.
One serving of butter prawns contains approximately 350-400 calories, depending on the recipe and serving size. While this is not a low-calorie dish, it can still be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet. If you're looking to reduce the calorie count, consider using seafood such as prawns or shrimp, as they are generally lower in calories than other meats.
In terms of salt content, Chinese butter prawns can be quite high due to the soy sauce and other seasonings used in the recipe. To reduce the salt content, you can use sea salt or reduce the amount of soy sauce used.
The creamy taste of butter is what makes this dish so irresistible, but it can also be high in saturated fat. To make the dish healthier, consider using a low-fat butter or margarine, or reducing the amount of butter used.
Chinese butter prawns can be a delicious and healthy dish if prepared with the right ingredients and in moderation. So why not try making it with seafood like prawns or shrimps for a healthier option?
Cultural Significance
Chinese cuisine is known for its rich history, unique flavours and cultural significance. The Chinese culinary traditions are deeply rooted in the country's history and influenced by its diverse regions. One of the most popular dishes that has gained immense popularity worldwide is the Chinese Butter Prawn Recipe.
Chinese Culinary Traditions
The Chinese have a long-standing tradition of using aromatic and fragrant spices in their dishes. The use of garlic, ginger, and green onions is common in many Chinese dishes, including the Butter Prawn Recipe. The dish is a perfect blend of sweet and savoury flavours that tantalize your taste buds.
Influence of Regional Cuisines
The Chinese Butter Prawn Recipe has its roots in the southern regions of China, where seafood is abundant. The dish has been influenced by the Malay, Indian, and Western cuisines that have made their way into China over the years. The use of garlic butter in the recipe is a clear indication of the Western influence on the dish.
When it comes to seafood, prawns are the most commonly used ingredient in the Chinese Butter Prawn Recipe. However, you can experiment with other types of seafood, such as crab, lobster, or scallops, to create your own unique twist on this classic dish. The Malaysian recipe for Butter Prawn is a popular variation of the dish that uses curry leaves and chilli to add an extra kick of flavour.
To add an authentic Chinese flavour to the dish, you can use Chinese Shaoxing cooking wine, which is a type of rice wine commonly used in Chinese cuisine. The wine adds a subtle sweetness to the dish and enhances the overall flavour.
In conclusion, the Chinese Butter Prawn Recipe is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that has gained immense popularity worldwide. The dish has a rich cultural significance and is a perfect representation of the Chinese culinary traditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the secret to making prawns juicy in a stir fry?
The secret to making juicy prawns in a stir fry is to not overcook them. Prawns should only be cooked for a few minutes until they turn pink and firm. Overcooking them will make them tough and rubbery. You can also marinate the prawns in a little bit of cornstarch and salt for 15 minutes before cooking to help retain their moisture.
How can I prepare a simple butter prawn dish at home?
To prepare a simple butter prawn dish at home, you will need prawns, butter, garlic, and soy sauce. Heat a pan on medium heat, add some butter and garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the prawns and cook until they turn pink and firm. Then, add some soy sauce and stir well. Serve hot with rice or noodles.
What are the key ingredients for a creamy butter prawn sauce?
The key ingredients for a creamy butter prawn sauce are butter, cream, garlic, and lemon juice. Melt the butter in a pan, add some garlic and cook until fragrant. Then, add some cream and lemon juice and stir well. Finally, add the cooked prawns and toss to coat in the sauce.
Could you suggest a good recipe for Malaysian butter prawns?
For a good recipe for Malaysian butter prawns, you will need prawns, butter, curry leaves, garlic, bird's eye chillies, and evaporated milk. Heat a pan on medium heat, add some butter, curry leaves, garlic, and chillies, and cook until fragrant. Add the prawns and cook until they turn pink and firm. Then, add some evaporated milk and stir well. Serve hot with rice or noodles.
How do I make butter prawn with egg floss like a pro?
To make butter prawn with egg floss like a pro, you will need prawns, butter, eggs, cornstarch, and salt. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and cornstarch to make a batter. Dip the prawns in the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Heat a pan on medium heat, add some butter and garlic, and cook until fragrant. Add the fried prawns and toss to coat in the butter sauce. Finally, sprinkle some egg floss on top and serve hot.
What does 'head butter' refer to in prawn recipes?
'Head butter' refers to the creamy yellow substance found inside the heads of prawns. It is a delicacy in some cultures and can be used to add flavour to dishes such as butter prawns. To extract the 'head butter', simply twist and pull off the head of the prawn and squeeze out the creamy substance.