If you think fast and easy can’t possibly be delicious, then you’ve got to try this recipe for steamed prawns in egg whites. It comes with a generous dollop of buttery goodness for extra richness and a garlicky twist.

Fuss-free and incredibly simple to prepare, the most difficult thing is trimming the prawns and – if you’re on the clumsy side – slicing the garlic.

This dish takes only about 10 minutes to cook, and that in itself has got to be one of the best reasons to try it, apart from its incredible flavour.

Ingredients

• 370g (about 10) fresh large tiger prawns
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp sugar

For the dressing

• 10g garlic, about 2 large cloves
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/8 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
• 1/2 lime, juice only

For garnishing

• 1 tbsp butter
• 3g Chinese parsley, leaves only, chopped fine
• 3g spring onions, chopped fine

Method

• Clean the prawns and trim off the legs and sharp parts. Don’t remove the shells. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
• Fill your steamer with water until 3/4 full. Bring to a boil over high heat. Do this step early as the steam must be really hot by the time the eggs and prawns go in.
• Separate egg whites into a bowl. Whisk with the 1/4 teaspoon of salt until a layer of foam forms.
• Add the soya sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil, pepper and sugar to the prawns and mix thoroughly. Arrange the prawns on a deep plate.
• Transfer the prawns into the steamer. Steam for four minutes or until the prawns turn pink. The time may vary depending on size.
• Pour in the whisked egg whites and steam for another 6 minutes. Once done, remove and set aside.
• While the prawns cook, prepare the dressing. Slice garlic finely using a sharp knife or mandolin.
• In a small pan, add sesame oil and garlic. Fry the garlic over high heat until the edges have browned slightly, giving a chewy caramelised texture. You don’t need to stir the garlic as it cooks.
• Once the garlic is cooked, transfer to a bowl with the half-teaspoon of garlic sesame oil. Add the light soy sauce, sugar, pepper and lime juice. Stir to combine.

• To complete the dish, add the tablespoon of butter to the middle of the cooked prawns. Spoon out the garlic and drizzle the dressing all over. Top the dish with Chinese parsley leaves and spring onions.
• Serve with hot white rice or dig in straightaway. Best eaten with your fingers. Enjoy!

Tip

• Not sure what to do with your leftover yolks? If you’re making another batch of prawns, replace egg whites with whisked egg yolks for a different but equally delicious dish.

This article first appeared in butterkicap.com. Butterkicap is a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of its people, food and places.