Thai Basil And Black Pepper Prawns 黑椒九層塔蝦

I came up with this recipe while I was living in Kuching, Sarawak. Many years of living in Singapore and half of that time above The Concourse on Bridge Road; buying ingredients for Thai cooking was never a problem since it is just a stones throw away from The Golden Miles - the hub for long distant bus services to Malaysia and Thailand which also houses numerous Thai Supermarkets and eateries. It was a very different story in Kuching, I basically gave up Thai cooking once my suppliers ran out. I did find out later that Thai basil is widely available due to the popularity of lei chai (a hakka specialty). Armed with some Thai basil, Sarawak black pepper and a very big smile on my face, a new dish was born. Calamari and chicken can also be used with wonderful results! 

P.S as the dish was first cooked on Malaysian soil, I have decided to declare it a Malaysian dish :)

serves 4 as part of a Chinese or Thai meal

you'll need;

8 large king prawns or 1/2 kg of tiger prawns, veins removed

1/2 onion, sliced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 bird chillies, chopped

2 tbs of black pepper

2 tbs of oyster sauce

1 tbs of sugar

1.5 tbs of fish sauce

1/4 cup of water

a bunch of Thai basil, picked

Pan fry prawns with a little oil til lightly brown.

Saute chopped garlic and chillies for 15 seconds then add in the sliced onions, followed by the black pepper and the rest of the seasonings. Do open up your kitchen windows at this stage :)

Return prawns to the wok, make sure the prawns are coated with the sauce. Cover and cook for a minute.

Chuck in the Thai basil, turn off the heat and mix well.

Serve with steamed rice and don't forget the finger bowl!