Sweet and Sour Prawns and Mushrooms

Recipe No: 228
I have only vague memories of this dish that my Mother in Law made once, when we reached home after a long travel. I was not able to see her making it, but the taste lasted on my taste buds long enough to be recreated. But the real inspiration was the presence of small amounts of both Prawns and Mushrooms waiting to be used in the refrigerator and being a Saturday, I decided to make something special with it, that will make all of us happy.

I had already posted my recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork, but this is a slightly different version and I just want to show another way of preparing a sweet and sour dish.

Ingredients                                   Serves 3-4
To make the Prawn and Mushroom Balls

• Prawns cleaned…………….150 grams (shelled and deveined; 15 big ones)
• Mushroom……………………300 grams (10-12 big Button Mushrooms)
• Soy Sauce…………………….1 Teaspoon
• Spring Onion chopped…..2 Tablespoons
• Salt……………………………...1/3 Teaspoon
• Pepper Powder……………..1/4 Teaspoon
• Ginger Garlic Paste……....1/3 Teaspoon
• Corn Flour…………………...1 Teaspoon + extra to coat the balls
• Oil for deep frying

To Saute

• Oil……………………………….1 Tablespoon
• Garlic chopped fine………2 Tablespoons
• Celery chopped fine……..3 Tablespoons
• Green Onion chopped…..2 (separate white and green portions)
• Onion chopped…………….1/4 Cup

To Make the Sauce

• Vinegar……………………....1 Tablespoon
• Sugar………………………….1 Tablespoon
• Soy Sauce……………………1 Teaspoon
• Ketch Up………………….…2 Tablespoons
• Corn flour…………………..3/4 Teaspoon
• Water…………………………1/2 Cup
• Pepper Powder……………1/8 Teaspoon

Method of Preparation
To make the Prawn and Mushroom Balls

1. Wash and dry the Prawns really well.
2. Clean the Mushrooms (No peeling necessary) and either steam for 10 minutes or drop it in boiling Water and boil for 5 minutes. Take it out and let it cool.
3. Once cooled, squeeze and drain as much water as possible.
4. Cut the drained Mushrooms and Prawns and grind them into a smooth paste using a food processor or a dry grinder.
5. To the ground mixture, add Ginger Garlic Paste, Soy Sauce, Spring Onion, Salt, Pepper Powder and a teaspoon of Corn Starch; mix really well and make 15 equal sized balls.
6. Roll the Balls in more Corn Flour and keep aside till ready to be used.
7. Heat at least an inch of Oil in a frying pan on medium high heat and deep fry the Prawn and Mushroom Balls till golden brown. Drain the excess Oil on a paper towel and keep them aside till ready to be used.

To make the sauce

1. Mix together all the ingredients in the ‘to make the Sauce’ section into a smooth sauce; keep aside till ready to be used.

To make Sweet and Sour Prawns and Mushroom

1. Drain all the Oil except a Tablespoon from the pan after deep frying.
2. To that pan on medium high heat, add Garlic and Celery and saute for 30 seconds before adding Green Onion Whites and Onion.
3. Sauce for a minute and add the Prawn and Mushroom Balls followed by the prepared Sauce.
4. Mix everything well and let the sauce boil and become thick. Add more Salt if needed at this stage.
5. Boil for a minute; sprinkle the Spring Onion Greens; switch off the heat and serve hot with boiled White Rice.

Notes:

• It is necessary to steam or boil the Mushrooms in order to get rid of the moisture.
• Squeeze the Mushrooms  and dry the Prawns really well with paper towel to take away as much Water as possible since Water is an enemy in the making of Prawn and Mushroom Balls.
• Don’t over crowd the pan while frying the Balls. Even though the Prawn and Mushroom balls are a bit on the softer side, it generally won’t break apart in the Oil. (Corn Flour binds it together as we are not using Egg.) But if it does, add a bit more Corn Flour to the ground mixture.
• The Oil should be really hot when the balls are dropped and maintain the temperature on medium high. They will be cooked in 2-3 minutes; don’t rush the process by putting it on very high heat.
• The Prawns and Mushroom Balls as such is an excellent appetizer if served with Ketchup or Mayonnaise.
• Take care not to brown Garlic, Celery and Onion while sauteing.
• The level of the Sauce can be adjusted according to your preference. I love to have some sauce if served with Rice. But it is also possible to make it dry and serve it as an appetizer. (Use a toothpick in that case for easy serving.)

 





Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…