Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Gong Bao Prawns
263 kcal a serving, against 583 for the traditional version. That is 320 kcal off, or 55%, with 34.1g of protein. Serves 4. 20 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Raw prawns velveted in a massive amount of hot oil until barely cooked, then drained. Tossed back into a wok swimming in more oil, dried chillies, sugar and a huge scoop of roasted peanuts to create a rich, heavy sauce.
What changed, and what each change costs
120g of sunflower oil down to 15g
Prawns do not need to be deep-fried to taste good. A quick, aggressive sear in a hot frying pan gets the job done perfectly while dropping an absurd amount of fat.
What it costs you. You completely lose the glossy chilli oil slick that pools at the bottom of the bowl. The sauce coats the prawns rather than drowning them.
150g of roasted peanuts down to 30g
Peanuts are delicious, but they bring a staggering amount of fat to the plate. Scaling them right back turns them into a crunchy garnish rather than a primary ingredient.
What it costs you. A prawn dish with a bit of crunch, then. Not a balanced split of seafood and nuts anymore, and I'm not going to pretend otherwise.
30g of sugar down to 15g
Less oil in the pan means less heavy fat to balance. You do not need a thick, sweet syrup to cut through the richness anymore.
What it costs you. The sauce is noticeably sharper and punchier. If you have a sweet tooth, you've definitely lost some of the sticky takeaway appeal.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 583 | 263 |
| Protein | 41.6g | 34.1g |
| Fat | 38.1g | 8.6g |
| Saturated fat | 4.5g | 1.1g |
| Carbohydrate | 24.1g | 14.1g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 7.1g | 13g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. crustaceans, gluten, peanuts, soybeans, sulphites.
The method is in the book
This is the first recipe I reach for when I want massive flavour quickly on a Tuesday night. The heat from the dried chillies is sharp, the ginger sings, and the prawns take on a brilliant char from the hot pan. You sacrifice the rich, oily restaurant sauce, but you gain a sharp, fast stir-fry that actually lets the seafood shine. That's a trade I will make any day of the week, especially when it leaves you feeling entirely human afterwards.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback