“Ha” pronounced in Cantonese means prawn. People eat “Ha” during Chinese New Year in symbolic that one will remain happy throughout the year. This Butter Prawns with Egg Floss or “蛋丝奶油虾” in Chinese is made with shelled prawns. It’s crispy and the flavour is enhanced with the use of curry leaves. To give it a little kick, chillies are added too.
Tip: You can also pair Egg Floss with Sliced Fish Soup too!
How to make Butter Prawns with Egg Floss
Preparation
for 3 to 4 servings
Ingredients for prawns
- 200 g prawns, cleaned and trimmed legs
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- ½ tsp white pepper powder
- 1 tbsp rice wine (optional)
- 1 egg white
- 4 tbsp corn flour
- Some oil for deep-frying
Ingredients for egg floss
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter
- 20 curry leaves (more if you like)
- 2 bird’s eye chillies, chopped (more if you like)
- 1 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
Step-by-step
- Mix together prawns, salt, sugar, white pepper and rice wine. Set aside and marinate for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix curry leaves, bird’s eye chillies, minced garlic, minced ginger, salt and sugar. Set aside.
- Back to the prawns, add egg white and mix thoroughly. Add corn starch and mix well.
- Heat oil on medium heat. Deep fry prawns for about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain excess oil and set aside.
- For egg floss, lightly beat egg yolks.
- Heat up a wok on medium-low. Add cooking oil and butter.
- Stir until butter is completely melted.
- Important: Stir continuously in one direction. From a high point, slowly drizzle in egg yolk to form a fine stream while the other hand stirs vigorously. – It’ll get foamy for sure!
- Add curry-leaves-chillies-garlic-ginger-salt-sugar.
- Keep stirring and frying until less foamy and egg yolk turned slightly browned, and you can smell the aromas from the curry leaves.
- Off heat.
- Quickly and carefully pour egg onto fried prawns. Drain excess oil!
- Serve and enjoy!