Chinese Seafood Recipes - Pacific Prawns and Black Soya Beans

Ingredients

• 5-6 frozen Pacific prawns

• tiny pinch black pepper

• pinch each sugar and salt

• good pinch Ve-Tsin (M.S.G.)

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

• 3 crushed thin slices fresh ginger

• 1 crushed clove garlic

• 2 tablespoons canned black Soya beans

• 1/4 pint (U.S.  2/3 cup) chicken stock

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• 1 level teaspoon corn-flour

• 1 dessertspoon water

• 1 onion 'flower'

• parsley sprigs

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Method:

1. Halve the shelled prawns and remove the black intestinal lines. Cut the prawns diagonally into 1/2-to 3/4-inch pieces. Sprinkle with the pepper, sugar, salt and Ve-Tsin and work them well in.

2. Heat the peanut oil. Add the ginger and garlic, cook till pale gold color and then discard. Add the beans and cook for less than 1/2 minute, tossing and turning them.

3. Add the prawns and cook all for 2 minutes, moving them about. Add the hot stock, soy sauce and corn-flour blended with the water.

4. Boil for 1-1 1/2 minutes. Turn into a suitable heated dish and garnish with the onion 'flower' and parsley.

5. To make the Onion 'Flowers': Cut four 1 1/2- to 2-inch lengths of firm green spring onion stalks; cut down one-third way from each end. Drop them into cold iced water. The ends will spring out into circular 'flowers'.