Seafood · Skillet cooking

A bright, crisp stir-fry for two

Sweet prawns, snappy snow peas and fresh ginger make this a lively little skillet meal. Carrots and mushrooms add color and texture, while oyster sauce brings a savory finish.

Jump to Recipe

Get everything ready first

Peel and devein the raw prawns, slice the carrots thinly and trim the snow peas before you heat the pan. Keep the cornstarch slurry separate and stir it again just before adding it; the starch settles quickly.

Keep the vegetables crisp

The carrots and mushrooms start first, followed by the snow peas. Add the prawns near the end and cook until firm, pearly and opaque throughout. Cooking time changes with their size, so use the doneness guidance in the card.

Garlic-Ginger Prawns and Snow Peas

No ratings yet
Prawns, crisp snow peas, carrots and mushrooms in a light oyster sauce with fresh garlic and ginger.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Course

Ingredients
  

  •  
    3 tbsp Neutral cooking oil
  • 1 tbsp Garlic minced
  •  
    1 tbsp Ginger minced
  •  
    ½ cup Carrot thinly sliced
  • ½ cup Button mushrooms sliced
  •  
    1 cup Snow peas trimmed, strings removed
  •  
    8 Prawns large, raw, peeled and deveined
  •  
    1 tbsp Oyster sauce
  • Salt to taste
  • Ground Black Pepper to taste
  • ½ cup Water for the pan, plus 3 tablespoons cold water for the slurry
  • ½ tsp Cornstarch
  • 2 Scallions thinly sliced (about a small handful)

Instructions
 

  1. Pat the peeled, deveined prawns dry. Have all vegetables ready before heating the pan. Whisk the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl until smooth; keep separate from the 1/2 cup water for the pan.
  2. Heat the oil in a wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant, without letting the garlic burn.
  3. Add the thin carrot slices and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, then add the snow peas and stir-fry for about 1 minute. The vegetables should be nearly crisp-tender.
  4. Add the prawns, oyster sauce and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a lively simmer and stir frequently for about 2–4 minutes, depending on prawn size, until the flesh is firm, pearly and opaque throughout; seafood should reach 145°F (63°C). Use doneness rather than a fixed two-minute cooking time.
  5. Re-whisk the cornstarch slurry and stir it into the bubbling sauce. Simmer for about 1 minute until lightly thickened. Stir in the scallions, taste and add salt and black pepper only as needed. Serve promptly, with cooked rice if desired.

Notes

Choose 8 large raw prawns or shrimp, peeled and deveined. This is a small stir-fry for two when served with rice. Cornflour here means white cornstarch, not yellow cornmeal. The small starch amount gives a lightly coated sauce rather than a thick glaze.
Thaw frozen prawns in the refrigerator and pat dry. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use within 3 days; reheat to 165°F (74°C). Oyster sauce contains shellfish and may also contain wheat or soy; check the label for your needs.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

Make it a meal

Serve with plain rice to catch the lightly thickened sauce. This recipe uses eight large prawns and makes two small servings alongside rice; scale the card when cooking for more people.

Explore more recipes