Har Lok (Dry-Fried Prawns)
Har lok (干煎虾碌) is a classic Cantonese prawn dish with a slight western influence. Prawns in the shell are marinated with dark soya sauce, pan-fried, then tossed in a sauce. The simple sauce is made with tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce. There's lots of delicious umami flavour, and the aroma is irresistible.
Author: Kitchentigress.blogspot/Photo credit to kitchentigress.blogspot.com
Ingredients
- 16 prawns, 600 g – trim, devein, rinse, dry thoroughly with paper towels
- ½ tbsp dark soya sauce
- ½ tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ⅛ tsp white sesame oil
Instructions
- Marinate prawns with dark soya sauce and salt for 15 minutes.
- In a bowl, stir Worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup and sugar till thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
- In a wok or pan, fry prawns in very hot oil over high heat till 70-80% cooked, in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding. Transfer to a plate.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp water around the pan/wok. Swirl to deglaze. Add Worcestershire sauce mixture. Reduce sauce till slightly thickened. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add prawns and toss till well coated and fully cooked. Sprinkle with a few drops of white sesame oil. Plate and serve.