Recipes › Courgette › Thai Courgette and Prawn Stir-Fry with Oyster Sauce
Thai Courgette and Prawn Stir-Fry with Oyster Sauce
Courgettes cut into thick batons take on a stir-fry beautifully — they stay firm with a slight bite and soak up the savoury, garlicky oyster sauce. Prawns cook in minutes and add sweetness that plays brilliantly against the heat of the chilli. This comes together in under 20 minutes and tastes like it took considerably longer.
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Ingredients
- 750 courgettes, cut into 1cm batons about 6cm long
- 400 raw king prawns, peeled and deveinedor use cooked prawns, added in the final 30 seconds only
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 red chilli, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauceuse tamari for gluten-free
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 2 tbsp groundnut oilor use any neutral high-heat oil
- 4 spring onions, cut into 3cm lengths
- 15 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges to serve
Contains: cereals gluten, crustaceans, fish, molluscs, soya.
Method
- Mix the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, and caster sugar together in a small bowl. Set aside — having your sauce ready before you start cooking is essential for a stir-fry.About 2 min
- Heat a wok over the highest heat your hob will give you until it is smoking. Add the groundnut oil and swirl to coat.About 2 min
- Add the garlic and chilli and stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant but not coloured.About 1 min
- Add the courgette batons and stir-fry over high heat for 3 minutes, tossing constantly, until they are just tender with a little colour on the edges but still have a firm bite.About 3 min
- Push the courgettes to one side of the wok and add the prawns. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until they turn pink and opaque. Toss together with the courgettes.About 2 min
- Add the spring onions, then pour in the sauce mixture. Toss everything together vigorously for 1 minute until the sauce coats everything and is slightly reduced.About 1 min
- Remove from the heat. Scatter over the fresh coriander and serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Tips
- A properly screaming-hot wok is non-negotiable here. If your wok is not hot enough, the courgettes will steam and turn soggy rather than getting any colour.
- Dry the courgette batons on a tea towel before they go in the wok — surface moisture causes spitting and drops the temperature.
- Do not overcrowd the wok. If you are cooking for more than four people, cook in two batches and combine at the end.
Ring the changes
- Replace the prawns with firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes, for a vegan version — check the oyster sauce is vegan or use mushroom sauce instead.
- Chicken breast, thinly sliced across the grain, works well in place of prawns. Add it before the courgette and cook for 2 minutes first.
Keeping it
Best eaten immediately. If you have leftovers, store in the fridge for up to 1 day and reheat in a hot wok or frying pan for 2 to 3 minutes. The courgette will soften further on reheating.
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