Large prawns (fresh, head-on)

Fresh head-on prawns, the quick-soup counterpart to dried shrimp. Trimmed and seared shell-on until the head oil runs orange, then hit with boiling water, they roll into a milky, intensely sweet prawn broth in minutes. The heads, not the flesh, carry most of the flavour.

TCM properties

Nature · warming　Flavour · sweet、salty　Meridians · kidney

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy prawns are regarded as warming and kidney-supporting, with folk tradition using them in soups for nursing mothers; they are also valued simply as a high-protein quick-soup meat.

Cautions: read first

• Avoid if you are allergic to seafood
• Go carefully if you have gout (high in purines)
• Prawns are traditionally counted as a stirring food (發物), one said to aggravate existing conditions, so go carefully during a flare of sensitive skin or eczema
• Cook them right through

Preparation

Trim the feelers, devein them and leave the heads on. Sear both sides until fragrant (the oil from the heads is what makes the soup milky), then pour in boiling water and boil hard.

Origin

Queensland and the Northern Territory for wild banana prawns, plus locally farmed large prawns. Australian prawns are sold by species and count: banana (cheapest), tiger (farmed, best for blanching), king (sweet, dearer), school (tiny) and imported frozen vannamei; 16/20 means 16 to 20 prawns per 450 g. Most supermarket fresh prawns are thawed, so buy raw frozen shell-on and thaw them yourself

Availability in Australia

Easy to find

Pairs well with