Stir-fried Prawns with Lychee

These two cookbooks have been hibernating the longest time in the store room. I bought these cookbooks more than 20 years ago. From the covers of the cookbooks, they looked new and seemed not used as frequently. Actually, I've tried quite a handful of her recipes during those first few years when I own them. I scribbled briefly the recipes on some papers as I don't want to dirty or wet the cookbook. After a few attempts, I don't really need to refer to the cookbook for certain recipes.  Also, when my kids were toddlers, I had to focus on making kids menu then. Hence, these cookbooks were 'chucked' aside :(  Out of sight ... out of mind ...

Not sure if you own any cookbook by Charmaine Solomon? If you don't and have not heard of her, check out the link here
Her recipes are full of Asian flavour, authentic, and delicious.

I've cooked this dish a few times. Sometimes with variations like substituted lychee with pineapple, prawns with fish fillet etc.

Recipe adapted from the cookbook of Charmaine Solomon.
Below my modified version with slight changes made :

Stir-fried Prawns with Lychee 
Serves 4
Ingredients :
600g medium-size prawns
1 teaspoon cornflour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon egg white
1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 small clove garlic finely chopped
1 red capsicum
1 large canned lychees (about 16 pieces)
2 tablespoons canola oil

Sauce
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
2 tablespoons of calamansi juice
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 teaspoon sugar
3 - 4 tablespoons of lychee syrup
Some water about 50 - 80ml
Pinch of salt
Mix the sauce ingredients and stir until sugar dissolved, set aside.

Method :
1) Shell prawns, leaving the tail on. Remove vein and slit prawns almost through on back curve. Rinse in cold water and dry on paper towel.

2) Mix prawns with cornflour, salt, egg white and ginger. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

3) Cut capsicum into squares, discarding seeds and membrane.

4) Drain the lychees (keeping some syrup for the sauce).

5) Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil in wok/pan with medium flame and add prawns and stir-fry, tossing until they turn pink and start to curl. Remove from wok/pan.

6) Wash clean wok/pan. With medium flame, add remaining cooking oil and sauté chopped garlic, add capsicum and stir-fry 1 minute. Return prawns to wok/pan, add lychees and sauce. Stirring constantly until sauce thickens (about 2 - 3 minutes or prawns are cooked through).

Served immediately with hot rice.

My notes:
In step 6: If you are using a non-stick cooking pan, just use the kitchen towel to wipe off the grease or liquid instead of washing it as non-stick pan should be cooled completed before washing.

I cooked this dish for CNY reunion dinner a couple of times. The word for prawn (虾) sounds like “ha” and 荔枝 sounds like 利事 in Cantonese and some other Chinese dialects, hence symbolize laughter (笑 “哈哈”), happiness and auspicious. Very flavourful with tangy sweet taste! And, love the bright red auspicious colour too ^-^!

祝: 笑口常开, 万事如意
Wishing you happiness and prosperity 

Enjoy & Happy Cooking!

I'm linking this post to the

"Cook & Celebrate: CNY 2015" event organised by

Yen from Eat your heart out, Diana from Domestic Goddess Wannabe and Zoe from Bake for Happy Kids.

And

'My Treasured Recipes #5 - Chinese New Year Goodies (Jan/Feb 2015)' hosted by

Miss B of  Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by

Charmaine of  Mimi Bakery House