Preparing prawns

[lilyng]

Prawns harvested from the sea are immediately packed in ice. The prawns absorb water from the ice, the quality of which is invariably suspect! For this reason, prawns are marinated in salt to extract this moisture. They are then rinsed under cold, running water.

salt
white rice wine
eggwhite
cornstarch
oil

Shell, remove heads and devein the prawns by gently pulling the innard sac from the neck of the prawns.

Add a tsp of salt and 1 tbsp water to every 250 g of prawns and mix thoroughly, then rinse and drain and dry the prawns with a cloth or kitchen paper.

If the prawns are large, butterfly buy cutting down the backs.

Marinate with a pinch of salt, 20 ml white rice wine and mix thoroughtly until the liquid is completely absorbed by the prawns.

Then, using a coating of 1/2 an eggwhite, 1 tsp cornstarch and 20 ml oil, mix thoroughly. The soil helps to separate the prawns while stir frying and it also gives it a glossy look.

The above is from Cheong Liew with Elizabeth Ho - MY FOOD.

[edith]

I am very lousy in cooking prawns. Even though it is freshly bought in the wet market, somehow, i don't get that "crunch" feel.

My mom recommended that I marinated it with a little sugar. But I kept forgetting this pointer.

[lilyng]

edith

Chef Cheong Liew's method above is very practical but after preparing, cooking the prawns is another. cook them until just through and do not overcook.

I have more luck with shelled prawns but when it comes to unshelled, blanched ones, a few of the prawns will be mushy all of them looked the same, just as fresh, but, when it is peeled, some are not as firm. maybe someone who reads this can tell me why?

[Janny]

With cooked frozen prawns, I don't cook them anymore. I normally put them in my noodle soups. So I just soak them in water, peel them and just put them in my noodle bowl and pour the hot boiling soup over. Or else they will look a bit shrivelled especially around the slit at their back.

I think I have got used to the 'crunchy' taste of the prawns here, which I took as indication of freshness. But my sis gave me a different explanation, which I have to try to remember again . However, my mum complained that prawns here don't have the 'prawn' taste.....

[lilyng]

janny

i never liked the cooked prawns, they are tasteless and the texture is funny.