Prawn and Thai Basil Yuk Sung Recipe

A fragrant Thai-style lettuce wrap made with juicy prawns, Thai basil, water chestnuts, aromatic garlic and shallots, finished with a savoury oyster and sweet soy sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Course: Starter / Main Dish

Tags: Prawn Recipes · Thai Recipes · Thai Basil · Lettuce Wraps · Yuk Sung · Quick & Easy

Ingredients

For the Prawn Filling

• 500g raw peeled and deveined prawns
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 2 banana shallots
• 2 medium red chillies, deseeded
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 150g tinned water chestnuts, finely chopped or blitzed
• 100g fresh Thai basil leaves
• 2 tbsp groundnut or peanut oil, for frying

For the Prawn Marinade

• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 pinches white pepper
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce
• 1 tsp cornflour

For the Sauce

• 2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce
• 2 tbsp Thai sweet soy sauce
• 2 tsp caster sugar

To Serve

• 2 baby gem lettuces
• Chopped spring onion, for garnish
• Chopped red chilli, for garnish

Method

1. Marinate the prawns

Chop the prawns into small bite-sized pieces.

Place them in a bowl and add the salt, white pepper, sugar, fish sauce, light soy sauce and cornflour.

Mix well to coat the prawns evenly.

Set aside while preparing the other ingredients.

2. Prepare the sauce

In a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce, Thai sweet soy sauce and caster sugar.

Mix well and set aside.

3. Prepare the aromatics

Add the garlic, shallots, red chillies and approximately two-thirds of the chopped scallions to a blender or food processor.

Pulse until finely chopped but still slightly textured. Do not blend into a smooth paste.

4. Stir-fry the aromatics

Heat 2 tbsp of groundnut or peanut oil in a wok over medium heat.

Add the chopped aromatics and stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Take care not to let the garlic burn or become too dark.

5. Cook the prawns

Add the remaining two-thirds of the scallions and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add the marinated prawns and stir-fry for approximately 3 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through.

6. Add the basil and sauce

Add the fresh Thai basil leaves, water chestnuts and prepared sauce.

Stir-fry for a further 1–2 minutes, until the basil leaves have wilted and the sauce has coated the prawn mixture.

7. Serve

Transfer the prawn mixture to a serving bowl.

Garnish with the remaining chopped scallion and red chilli.

Place the bowl in the centre of a large serving plate and arrange the baby gem lettuce leaves around it.

Spoon the prawn mixture into the lettuce leaves and serve immediately.

Notes

• Keep some texture: Do not over-blend the aromatics. Small pieces give the filling better texture.
• Do not burn the garlic: Cook the aromatics over medium heat and stir frequently.
• Use fresh Thai basil: Add the basil towards the end of cooking to retain its fragrance.
• Make lettuce wraps: Spoon the warm prawn mixture into individual baby gem lettuce leaves just before eating.