Cantonese

Stir fries are special to Cantonese families, like mine. They’re also a great way to repurpose leftovers in the fridge. I found some small portions of greens and prawns so I decided to re-make my mother’s stir fried prawns with garlic and oyster sauce. Growing up, this is a dish that I will find sitting on our family’s dining table for lunch or dinner, regardless of which day of the week it was. I never figured how to cook it, but lately when I discovered the recipe, I realised it wasn’t so hard to make after all. It’s true when they say the simplest dish is often the hardest to cook, for the smallest ingredients do make a big impact on the final product. My mother didn’t use any greens in her dish but I added them to boost the flavour profile. I was also very excited to try out this new carbon steel wok that I bought for a steal on Shopee! Over the weekend my dad visited us and he helped me pre-season it. With a sharpening stone, he carefully sand down the sharp edges of the wok, rinsed it in water then wiped clean with a cloth. Afterwards he heated the empty wok on a stove over high fire until the inside of the wok turned from a light steel grey to a darker shade, almost black. It’s left to cool on the stove. Cooking oil is poured lightly into the wok and with a kitchen towel, he coat the inside until all surfaces are covered in oil, then leave to dry overnight. Dad told me that carbon steel woks are prone to rust, so I should never let it air dry, neither should I use soap and scouring pad to clean it. Just use oil to coat it after each usage. “After you cook, just let it soak in water for 5 minutes. Then wash with hot water with a bamboo wok brush lah,” he says nonchalantly.