Prawn Hot Pot

Wednesday Dinner

- Prawn Hot Pot

Soup stock for this Nabe is a mixture of Japanese Dashi stock and prawn stock made from prawn heads and shells.  But the hero of the dish was prawn and Tofu balls.  It was soft, succulent and somehow more prawny than prawn itself!  I won't bother with prawns with tails next time and turn all prawn meat into delicious prawn and Tofu balls.

Prawn Hot Pot Recipe (Serves 2-4)

Ingredients

• 500g fresh whole prawns
• 250g Tofu
• 1Tbsp arrowroot powder or potato starch
• 1/4 Chinese cabbage
• 1 medium carrot
• 2 celery stalks

Seasoning

• 500ml Dashi stock
• 1Tbsp fish sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• a touch of cayenne pepper

Method

1. Peel the prawns (reserve heads and shells) and de-vein them
2. Make prawn stock by frying heads and shells in an oiled pot
3. When crispy, add 1L of water and simmer for 15mins
4. Make prawn balls by mixing minced prawn meat, Tofu, arrowroot powder and salt. 
5. Strain prawn stock and transfer to a clay pot
6. Add about 500ml of Dashi stock, fish sauce, lemon juice to a claypot and turn the heat on
7. Add hard vegetables (white part of Chinese cabbage, carrot, celery)
8. When boiling, drop prawn balls mixture into the soup using 2 spoons
9. Add cubed Tofu and green parts of Chinese cabbage just before serving

Prawn Bisque

Monday Dinner

- Prawn Bisque

- Okara Biscotti

If you throw away prawn heads and shells, I bet you have never tasted prawn bisque before.  It is amazing to think this intense prawny flavoured creamy soup is made with only prawn heads and shells.  You don't really need prawn meat but I added them this time for extra proteins and texture.  Prawn bisque can also be used as a pasta sauce.

For the recipe, just google prawn bisque.  I used 500g prawns, 400g tin tomato, 800ml water, garlic, onion, carrot and celery.

Prawn Paella

Sunday Dinner

- Prawn Paella

Sundays used to be "Paella Night" a few years ago before I went on a low-carb diet.  Right now, I am torn between whether to go back to a conventional diet or a low-carb diet.  Hubby needs to lose 4kg and I don't think it is possible on a conventional diet because he loves craft beer too much and I don't want to take that away from him.

My paella is nowhere near authentic but easy and simple.  Start by sweating garlic and onion with a generous amount of olive oil in a shallow casserole.  When onion is softened, add 200g raw rice (unwashed) and keep stirring.  When all the rice is coated with oil, add 300ml stock (homemade using prawn head is best).  Add cubed tomatoes and place a lid.  Cook for 15mins on low heat.  Add seafood, broccoli, red capsicum in the last 5mins.

I like to add turmeric in the stock for a bright coloured rice!  Sweet prawns were so good...Got to get more prawns next week.