Prawns Hunan Style

This is restaurant-caliber Chinese cooking at home. Two pounds of shrimp get a light flour dusting and a quick flash-fry in screaming-hot peanut oil, then meet a pounded ginger-garlic-chili paste and a concentrated soy sauce reduction that coats every prawn in glossy, savory heat.

The sauce starts by reducing chicken stock and soy sauce from 4 cups down to 2. That 10-15 minutes of reduction concentrates the flavor into something intense and deeply savory. Sesame oil and white pepper go in after reduction, then a cornstarch slurry thickens it to coating consistency.

The aromatic paste is ground from fresh ginger, garlic, scallions, and green hot pepper. It goes into the pan after the oil is drained off the shrimp, browning just long enough to release its fragrance before the white wine splash deglazes everything.

Don’t overcook the shrimp. Two to three minutes in hot oil is the absolute maximum. They should curl into a C shape, not a tight O. Vegetables go in for just one minute, mostly for color and crunch.

Chef Tips

• Get the peanut oil truly hot before the shrimp go in. Not hot enough and they’ll absorb oil and turn greasy
• Dust the shrimp in flour lightly, shaking off excess. Too much flour makes a thick, gummy coating
• Drain the oil with a lid over the pan before adding the paste. This prevents a dangerous oil splatter
• The vegetables are optional per the recipe. Use what looks good for color contrast

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of chili bean paste (doubanjiang) for a more authentic Hunan heat
• Serve over steamed jasmine rice to soak up the sauce
• Toss in cashews or peanuts at the end for a nutty crunch