Chilli Prawns (Hae Bee Hiam) by Laurie Suarez

Keep your Tofu, and Tamarind Paste and stinky Shrimp Paste to yourself... this is how to cook chilli prawns, served as a side dish or a main if you want it to be HOT & TASTY!

Ingredients:

For the Prawn Marinade

• 500g banana prawns, deveined & shells removed

• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

• ! Teaspoon Cornflour (Cornstarch)

• 1/2 Teaspoon White Pepper

• 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar

For the Stir-Fry Chilli Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce (Ketchup)

• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce

• 1 Tablespoon Sweet Chilli sauce

• 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar

• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

• 3 Cloves Garlic, minced

• 2 Shallots, finely chopped

• 4 Red Chilli Peppers, deseeded & finely chopped (adjust to taste)

• Pinch of Salt

For Cooking

• 1 Onion, chopped into lengths

• 3 Capsicum (Bell Peppers), Red or of various colours, sliced into lengths

• 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

For Garnish

• Spring Onions (Scallions), chopped

• Fresh Coriander (Cilantro), leaves chopped

• Lime Wedges for serving

Method:

1. Marinade Your Prawns

In a large bowl, combine your prawns with the soy sauce, cornflour, white pepper, and sugar. Leave them to marinate on the bench for 20 minutes.

1. Prepare the Chilli Sauce

In another bowl, mix the tomato sauce, sweet chilli sauce, and sugar - set aside.

1. Heat a Large Saucepan or Wok

Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan over medium-high heat.

1. Sear Your Marinated Prawns

To your hot pan, add the marinated prawns and cook for 1 minute on each side until they become pink and white. Remove them from the pan and set aside.

1. Cook the Vegetables

In the same pan, add a small amount more oil if needed, then add the minced garlic and shallots, stir-frying for around a minute until fragrant.

Add the sliced capsicum and onion. Stir fry for another 2 minutes until the vegetables are slightly tender.

1. Add the Chilli Sauce Preparation

Pour your chilli sauce preparation over the vegetables and stir to conbine. Turn the heat down and Simmer for a further 2 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.

1. Add the Prawns Back In

Return the prawns to the pan with the vegetables and sauce, tossing them to combine. Cook for another 3 minutes untill the prawns are heated back up again and everything is good mates / combined.

1. Garnish & Serve

Serve your Hae Bee Hiam style Aussie Chilli Prawns onto plates, or side plates, or one big platter for the centere of the table... and Garnish with your reserved chopped spring onions and coriander and lime cheaks or wedges.

Recipe Variations:

What are you, some kind of a chef now? Follow the recipe as instructed!

Jokes aside: Some good vegetables to consider adding at the same stage as the capsicum include snow peas, leek and fennel bulb.

Not a fan of fresh coriander / Cilantro? Replace with Parsley or Mint, or Dill or all three.