One of my favourite Mandarin recipes using tasty white gulf shrimp recipe I was given from Kwong Chows in China Town. I was taken there by one of my employers who was showing me the dishes that he would like duplicated and served in his newly constructed restaurant in the Scarborough Tele-Direct Tower called Charade. We ate at several landmark China town eateries about a dozen times trying the Eight Precious Pearl Duck, Frog Legs, Vegetable Spring Rolls, Pot Sticker Dumplings and this shrimp dish Woo-Hip-Har or Wok Fried Pork Belly Bacon Stuffed Pacific Prawns. I tried the shrimp dish several times before I could figure out all the flavours used to make this such a tasty dish. At first I used 12/15 size Tiger Prawns but found the taste was taken over by the bacon stuffing. I went back again and found out it was the using a finer mince that made the dish so succulent. The sauce was a classic Lemon Grass Coconut Cream which taste like a lemon infused garlic butter. The greens served in the centre on the original dish was deep fried watercress. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients;

1.5 lbs of Large Pacific Spot Prawns or White Golf Shrimp.

1/2 lb Double Smoked Pork Belly Bacon finely chopped.

2 tbs of fine minced Russian garlic.

2 tbs of fine chopped green onion.

2 tbs of finely chopped ginger.

1/4 tsp fine minced chili pepper.

2 tbs. fine chopped roasted peanuts.

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

1 tbs of rice wine cooking vinegar.

1 oz. vodka

2 oz of fresh squeezed lemon juice.

2 stalks lemon grass pounded and chopped.

2 tbs. of unsalted butter.

Sea salt and pepper

Method of procedure;

Split open the backs of the shrimp using scissors. Remove the intestinal track and rinse in a bowl of cold water with a few table spoons of sea salt. The sea salt crispens the shrimp and makes the impurities dissolve. Pat dry with a towel and set on a chilled plate.

In a heavy bottom sauté pan heat to medium high. Add the fine chopped pork belly bacon a start to fry. Keep stirring until the fat starts to pool. Golden brown is what you are looking for.

Remove all but 2 tbs of the fat. Return to the burner and add all your chopped stuff. Add the butter and stir in well. Now add the rice wine vinegar, vodka, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Mix and stir. Remove from heat and place in a stainless bowl to come to room temperature so it is easier to handle while stuffing the shrimp.

Now in one hand pick up a shrimp and using your fingers spread the shell as wide as possible with out ripping it off. Pack in the minced  bacon mix. Put in as much as is allowed. Now take the tail portion and fold it backwards into the belly of the shrimp cupping the shrimp firmly so as not to loose the filling. They can take good abuse while stuffing. Place them stuffing side down in the same sauté pan and place under the broiler high heat and grill till charring appears. About 5 minutes. Remove to a plate placing 4 shrimp like shown in the image. Now add any remaining stuffing fall out and residue from the sauce bowl and mix and scrap the bottom of the pan. Add some more butter, lemon juice and vodka to deglaze. Nap over each shrimp and add a small tossed micro green salad with your favourite vinaigrette for best presentation.

Yummy!