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Drunken Herbal Prawns

A Singapore-style Drunken Herbal Prawns recipe — succulent prawns braised in Shaoxing wine and warming Chinese herbs for a fragrant, shareable zi char-style main.

Drunken Herbal Prawns

About this dish

Drunken Herbal Prawns is a comforting Singapore-style seafood dish that marries plump prawns with the sweet warmth of Shaoxing wine and classic Chinese medicinal aromatics. It sits nicely between hawker-centre nostalgia and home-cooked zi char: think neighbourhood family dinners in heartland HDB flats or a special weekend spread for friends from Tiong Bahru to East Coast.

This version riffs on the classic 'drunken' technique — quick-poké braising in a hot, fragrant broth of Chinese herbs (dang gui, goji berries, red dates), ginger and light soy — so the prawns stay bouncy and carry a silky, slightly boozy sauce. The flavour profile is bright ginger and garlic up front, gentle herbal sweetness from the roots and berries, and a background savoury note from Shaoxing and oyster sauce. It’s ideal for sharing family-style with steamed rice or pandan coconut rice.

Serve it for a weekend family meal, a casual potluck, or as part of a reunion dinner where seafood takes centre stage. At home you can scale the spice, tweak the herbs (available at Cold Storage or local Chinese medicine shops), and get that restaurant-ish wok aroma by using a hot wok and quick, high-heat finishes just like the zi char stalls in the CBD or your neighbourhood hawker centre.

Ingredients

  • 600 g prawns (head-on or peeled as preferred; tiger prawns or king prawns work well)
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 120 ml Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry as substitute)
  • 400 ml chicken stock (or prawn shell stock for deeper flavour)
  • 2 slices (2 cm each) fresh ginger, cut into matchsticks
  • 3 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
  • 6 red dates (jujubes), halved
  • 1 tbsp goji berries (wolfberries), rinsed
  • 1 small piece dang gui / angelica root (about 10 g) or 1 tsp dried Chinese herbal mix
  • 1 tsp sugar (palm sugar or caster sugar)
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil (peanut or vegetable)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 spring onions, julienned (white and green separated)
  • 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (optional, to thicken)
  • Salt and white pepper to taste
  • 2–4 bird's eye chillies / chilli padi, sliced (optional, for heat)
  • Fresh coriander or Chinese celery leaves for garnish
  • Steamed jasmine rice or pandan rice, to serve

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prepare the prawns: rinse and pat dry. If using whole prawns, you can leave heads on for more flavour; optionally cut shallow slits along the back and remove the vein. Toss prawns with 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine and 1/2 tsp light soy; set aside to marinate for 10–15 minutes.
  2. Prepare the herbal broth: in a bowl combine chicken stock, remaining Shaoxing wine, goji berries, halved red dates and dang gui. Let the herbs soak while you heat the wok so flavours bloom.
  3. Heat a wok over high heat until smoking slightly for wok hei. Add 2 tbsp oil and swirl to coat. Sear prawns in a single layer for 30–45 seconds per side until just pink and starting to curl (do not overcook). Remove prawns to a plate and set aside.
  4. Lower heat to medium. Add a touch more oil if needed, then fry ginger matchsticks and crushed garlic until aromatic (20–30 seconds) — careful not to burn them.
  5. Pour in the prepared herbal stock and bring to a simmer on medium-high. Taste the broth and season with light soy, oyster sauce and sugar; adjust balance to be slightly savoury-sweet with a whisper of wine.
  6. Return the prawns to the wok and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes so they absorb the herbal aroma. If you prefer a slightly thicker sauce, stir in the cornflour slurry and simmer for another minute until glossy.
  7. Turn off heat and finish with sesame oil, most of the white parts of spring onions (reserve green tops for garnish) and a grind of white pepper. If using chillies, add them now to keep the heat bright.
  8. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with green spring onion tops and coriander or Chinese celery. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice or pandan coconut rice for a comforting, shareable meal.
  9. Taste and adjust: like a zi char stall, taste the sauce and add a dash more light soy or sugar if the broth needs brightening; you can also splash extra Shaoxing at the end for more boozy aroma (avoid if serving to children or pregnant guests).

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy fresh prawns at the wet market for best texture; frozen prawns from NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or Sheng Siong work too—thaw fully and pat dry before cooking.
  • If you can't find dang gui, use a ready-made Chinese herbal soup mix or omit and rely on goji/red dates for a milder herbal note.
  • To get wok hei, preheat your wok until very hot, cook in small batches and avoid overcrowding. Quick, high heat searing locks in juices and gives better flavour like a zi char stall.
  • Adjust alcohol: use Shaoxing wine for authenticity; substitute equal parts mirin + a splash of dry sherry if needed. For kids or pregnant guests, reduce wine and add more stock and fragrant ginger.
  • Make-ahead: prepare and chill the herbal broth a day ahead. Reheat and add prawns at the end to avoid overcooking; leftovers keep for 1–2 days in the fridge—reheat gently.
  • Control spice by adding sliced chilli padi on the side so diners can customise heat, a common practice at hawker stalls in Singapore.

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