Black Bean & Chilli Prawns with Crisp Noodles

Name: Black Bean & Chilli Prawns on Crisp Noodles
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 6 medium-sized green prawns; 2 x 70g blocks rice vermicelli noodles; Vegetable oil, for pan-frying; 2 teaspoons salted black beans; 2 teaspoons Sichuan chilli sauce, plus extra for serving; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger; 1/2 green onion, finely sliced on the diagonal; Coriander leaves, for garnishing; 1 1/2 teaspoons cornflour; 1/2 cup water; 2 teaspoons oyster sauce; 1 teaspoon castor sugar; 1 teaspoon sweet dark soy sauce; Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

This black bean & chilli prawns recipe is a riff on Chinese cuisine’s classic black bean and chilli combo often seen with clams, especially pipis. It’s a very versatile seasoning and great with any seafood, including a simple piece of pan-fried fish. Sichuan chilli sauce is made from ground dried chilli, sesame seeds and oil and separates into layers of sediment and oil; unless a recipe calls for just chilli oil, stir before using so that you get a mixture of both. Serve a little extra chilli sauce on the side if you like, and a glass of German riesling like the Keller Limestone Kabinett riesling. It’s crisp with just enough residual sugar to balance the chilli and match the sweet soy sauce. The crisp noodles add a great textural element to the dish; look for dongguan rice vermicelli noodles in your Asian grocer, I use Golden Swallow brand. See the video below (and details here) for tips on storing prawns for maximum freshness.

Serves 2

Ingredients

6 medium-sized green prawns
2 x 70g blocks rice vermicelli noodles
Vegetable oil, for pan-frying
2 teaspoons salted black beans
2 teaspoons Sichuan chilli sauce, plus extra for serving
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
½ green onion, finely sliced on the diagonal
Coriander leaves, for garnishing

Sauce Ingredients

1½ teaspoons cornflour
½ cup water
2 teaspoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon castor sugar
1 teaspoon sweet dark soy sauce
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste

Method

Remove prawns from the fridge 30–60 minutes before cooking, peel, devein, halve lengthways, cover and set aside to come to room temperature.
Meanwhile, add noodles to a large saucepan of boiling water and cook for about 4 minutes, without stirring, until just tender, then tip into a colander to drain well.
Prepare Sauce Ingredients: combine cornflour and water and stir to dissolve, stir in remaining ingredients and set aside.
Combine black beans, chilli sauce, garlic and ginger. Set aside.
Cover the base of a frying pan (or wok) generously with oil and heat over medium–high heat.
Add noodles and fry for 4–5 minutes on one side, until well coloured and crisp.
Drain on a paper towel-lined rack then place in a shallow serving bowl, crisp side down.
Add 2 teaspoons of oil to a wok and place over medium-high heat.
Add black bean mixture and stir-fry for 30 seconds or so until aromatic.
Add prawns, increase heat to high and stir-fry for 30 seconds or so, until they change colour.
Add Sauce Ingredients, bring to the boil and continue stirring for a further minute or so until it thickens and everything is well coated.
Pour prawn mixture over the noodles.
Garnish with green onion and coriander and serve.