Lettuce-wrapped Minced Prawns

Name: Lettuce-wrapped Minced Prawns
Yield: Serves 6–8 with 3–5 Other Dishes
Cuisine: China
Ingredients: 450 g (1 lb) fresh or defrosted medium raw prawns in the shell, without heads (between 25–30 prawns), shelled and de-veined; 10 ml (2 tsp) cornflour; 1.5 ml (¼ tsp) salt; 1 head crisp lettuce, Webb or Iceberg, trimmed and cleaned; 60 ml (4 tbsp) peanut or vegetable oil; 30 ml (2 tbsp) egg white; 50 g (2 oz) Sichuan zhacai or preserved vegetable, trimmed and finely chopped; 5 ml (1 tsp) finely chopped garlic

Preparation info

Serves
6–8
with 3–5 Other Dishes

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Classic Food of China

By Yan-Kit So

Published 1992

About

As Sichuan zhacai, the pressed mustard greens preserved in salt and chilli powder, is intensely salty and spicy, it enhances the natural sweetness of prawns as well as lending taste to the lettuce leaves which add a crispy touch to the dish.

Ingredients

450 g (1 lb) fresh or defrosted medium raw prawns in the shell, without heads (between 25–30 prawns

Asia
China
Sichuan
Preserve
Fish course
Pescatarian
Gluten-free

Method

Pat dry the prawns, leaving them damp, however. Mince roughly either by hand or in a food processor. Put into a fairly large mixing bowl.
Add the salt and stir in the same direction for about 20 seconds. Add the cornflour and the egg white. Stir vigorously again in the same direction until the egg white is absorbed and the prawn mixture elastic – about 60 seconds.