Ingredients

The following ingredients have 5 Servings
  • 2 tbsp melted lard or white sesame oil
  • 240 gm (about 6) large prawns, heads and tails intact, whiskers and legs trimmed, digestive tracts removed (see note)
  • Coriander (about 2 tbsp), to serve
  • 180 gm dried glass noodles (mung bean noodles)
  • 4½ spring onions, trimmed and cut into 4cm lengths
  • 4½ garlic cloves, bruised
  • 15 gm unpeeled ginger, thinly sliced
  • 2 small coriander roots with some stalk
  • 120 ml oyster sauce
  • 60 ml lard, melted (¼ cup)
  • 60 ml dark Chinese wine (see note) (¼ cup)
  • 1½ tbsp roasted sesame oil
  • ¾ tsp white sugar
  • Two pinches of coarsely ground white peppercorns
  • Two pinches of coarsely ground black peppercorns
  • Two pinches of coarsely ground dry-roasted coriander seeds (see note)
  • Large pinch of ground dry-roasted Sichuan peppercorns (see note)
  • Large pinch of Chinese five-spice
  • Large pinch of ground star anise
  • Large pinch of ground ginger
  • Large pinch of ground galangal (see note)

Instruction

  • For marinated noodles, soak noodles in a bowl of cold water until just softened (about 1 hour). Drain well, then cut with scissors into manageable lengths, about 10cm or so, and set aside in a colander. Lightly bruise spring onions, garlic, ginger and coriander root, then combine in a bowl with remaining ingredients and noodles. Turn to coat and combine well, then refrigerate tomarinate (6 hours or overnight).
  • Preheat oven to 250C. Warm a 1.5 litre Chinese claypot or 1.5 litre flameproof casserole (see note) for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, reincorporate the marinade into the noodles by turning with your hands. Melt lard in claypot then add a piece or two of ginger and some spring onions from the marinade and stir until coloured (2-3 minutes). Add half the noodle mixture, followed by prawns, then add remaining noodles, stir, then cook without stirring, until sizzling and coloured (2-3 minutes). Cover with a lid and bake in oven, without lifting the lid, until prawns are pink and cooked (12-15 minutes).
  • Turn and stir the noodles; don't worry if they have stuck to the pot – these crunchy, charred bits are the best part. The finished dish should be quite dry and the prawns should be cooked through and tempting. Serve sprinkled with chopped coriander.