Prawn balls

1. 1

   Clean the prawns by removing the black intestinal sack that runs down the back of each one. Very finely chop two-thirds of the prawns using a sharp knife (or blend to a paste in a food processor) and cut the rest into 1cm/½in cubes.

2. 2

   Mix the oyster sauce, groundnut and sesame oil, salt, ginger and bamboo shoots in a large pestle and mortar to make a paste. Stir in the finely chopped and the cubed prawns. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

3. 3

   Preheat a deep-fat fryer to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

4. 4

   To make the balls, shape spoonfuls of the prawn filling into 18 balls with lightly wetted hands. Put the sesame seeds in a bowl. Roll each prawn ball in the seeds to coat and transfer to a plate.

5. 5

   Carefully place up to six balls, one at a time, in the hot oil. Cook for 3½-4 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through - the prawns will be completely pink when cooked. Cook the remaining balls in batches.

6. 6

   Carefully remove the cooked prawn balls using a slotted spoon and transfer to kitchen paper to drain. Serve the cooked prawn balls with dark soy sauce or sweet chilli sauce for dipping.

1 serving ≈ 103 g

Nutrition values are estimates. - means data is unavailable.