Dongbei Qing Zheng Daxia

Steamed whole prawns dressed with scallion-ginger oil are a benchmark of clean cooking in Northeast China, particularly in the coastal cities of Dalian and Yingkou along the Yellow Sea. The Dongbei philosophy of qing zheng — pure steaming — lets the natural sweetness of fresh prawns speak loudest, with the sizzled aromatics adding fragrance without overwhelming.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 800g (1.75 lb) large whole prawns, shells on, deveined through the shell with a small knife
• 5cm (2 in) piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
• 4 spring onions, white parts finely sliced, green parts cut into 5cm (2 in) lengths
• 2 tbsp (30ml) light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15ml) rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp (45ml) vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp white pepper

Instructions

1. Rinse the prawns under cold water and pat dry. Arrange in a single layer on a heatproof plate. Season with a light pinch of white pepper. Scatter the ginger matchsticks evenly over the prawns.
2. Place the plate in a steamer basket set over rapidly boiling water. Steam for 5–7 minutes, depending on prawn size, until the shells turn bright pink and the flesh is just opaque. Do not overcook.
3. While the prawns steam, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and sugar in a small bowl to make the dipping sauce.
4. Carefully remove the plate from the steamer and drain any liquid. Scatter the green spring onion lengths over the prawns.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan over high heat until it begins to smoke. Pour the hot oil in a steady stream directly over the spring onions and ginger — it will sizzle and release a dramatic cloud of fragrance.
6. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce on the side and steamed rice.

Cook's Notes: The sizzle of hot oil over spring onions and ginger is the signature finishing technique of Dongbei steamed seafood — do not skip it. Use the freshest prawns available; frozen prawns should be fully defrosted and thoroughly dried before steaming to avoid waterlogged results.