Malay Butter Prawns with Silken Egg Yolk

Ingredients

500g prawns, shells and heads on

4 tbsp plain flour

6 egg yolks, whisked 

½ tsp salt

1 cup vegetable oil, for frying

2 small bird’s eye chillies, pounded, optional

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

100g unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 sprigs curry leaves

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

Fried shallots

½ bunch fresh coriander

Method

Leave the prawn heads and shells on but chop off the eyes. Cut the legs with scissors. Slit down the back to remove the veins. Pat dry. Add the salt and flour to the prawns and toss to coat evenly. 

Heat up a skillet with the frying oil and pan-fry the prawn until the shells turn white but not completely cooked. Drain and set aside.

Tip out the oil into another bowl or saucepan – this can be used again. Use a strainer to remove any chunky bits.

Heat up the olive oil in the skillet, and add in the butter. With a wooden spoon, keep sitting continuously until melted. Then, while continuing to stir, add in the egg yolks a little bit at a time. Keep them moving to break them up as they cook to create the silken egg yolk look.

Add in the curry leaves while continuing to stir, then the chilli and garlic as well. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan. 

Add the prawns back into the pan to heat up, then add the eggs back in. When heated through and coated, serve immediately with fried shallots and fresh coriander.