Name: Prawn and Thai Basil Yuk Sung
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 500 g raw peeled and deveined prawns; ¼ tsp salt; 2 pinches white pepper; 1 tsp caster sugar; 2 tsp fish sauce; 1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce; 1 tsp cornflour; 4 large garlic cloves; 2 banana shallots; 2 medium red chillis (deseeded); 2 scallions (finely chopped (reserve 1/3 for garnish)); 150 g tinned water chestnuts (blitzed or finely chopped); 100 g fresh Thai basil (leaves only); 2 baby gem lettuce; 2 tbsp groundnut or peanut oil (for frying); 2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce; 2 tbsp Thai sweet soy sauce; 2 tsp caster sugar; Chopped spring onion; Sliced red chilli

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Featured on Eva Pau’s Asian Kitchen Season 2 Episode 2. This dish brings the flavours of Thailand to your kitchen in under 20 minutes. Prawns are marinated for extra juiciness, stir-fried with fragrant aromatics, and finished with Thai basil and water chestnuts for crunch. Wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves, it’s a colourful and interactive dish that’s both light and packed with flavour.

Prawn and Thai Basil Yuk Sung

A fresh, vibrant Thai-inspired dish featuring succulent prawns, aromatic herbs, and a punchy sweet-savory sauce. Served with crisp baby gem lettuce, it’s perfect as a fun, interactive starter or light main.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings: 4 people

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: Thai

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Prawns

500 g raw peeled and deveined prawns

Marinade for Prawns

¼ tsp salt
2 pinches white pepper
1 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp fish sauce
1 tsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce
1 tsp cornflour

Aromatics

4 large garlic cloves
2 banana shallots
2 medium red chillis deseeded
2 scallions finely chopped (reserve 1/3 for garnish)

Other Ingredients

150 g tinned water chestnuts blitzed or finely chopped
100 g fresh Thai basil leaves only
2 baby gem lettuce
2 tbsp groundnut or peanut oil for frying

Sauce

2 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Sauce
2 tbsp Thai sweet soy sauce
2 tsp caster sugar

Garnish

Chopped spring onion
Sliced red chilli

Method

Chop the prawns into small bite-sized pieces. Marinate with salt, white pepper, sugar, fish sauce, light soy sauce, and cornflour. Set aside.
Mix the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Blitz the chillies, garlic, shallots, and 2/3 of the scallion in a blender until finely chopped but still textured.
Heat 2 tbsp of groundnut oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the blitzed aromatics and stir-fry for 2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Add the remaining chillies and 2/3 of the scallions. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add the marinated prawns and stir-fry for 3 minutes until cooked through.
Add the Thai basil leaves, water chestnuts, and prepared sauce. Stir-fry for 1–2 minutes until the basil wilts and everything is well coated.
To serve, dish the prawn mixture into a bowl placed in the centre of a large plate. Surround with baby gem lettuce leaves. Garnish with the reserved scallions and sliced red chilli.