Tasteless Cooking Recipe
Garlic Prawns in Crispy Wontons
Twelve crunchy baskets of garlicky heat, smooth sour cream, peppery arugula, and warm garlic prawns.
Ingredients
- Pack of wonton wrappers
- 12 large prawns, size 16–20
- Arugula, a handful of leaves
- 12 teaspoons sour cream
- Sriracha hot sauce
- 1 bulb garlic
- 340g unsalted butter
- 40g unsalted butter, for greasing tins
- Flat leaf parsley
- Salt
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C convection.
- Place the oven shelf about two-thirds of the way up in the oven.
- Butter a 12-hole muffin tin.
- Cut 12 small squares of parchment paper and place one in each muffin well.
- Cut a diagonal slit in each wonton wrapper.
- Push one wonton wrapper into each well, removing any trapped air.
- Bake for about 7 minutes, until golden brown.
- Remove the wonton baskets from the tin, discard the parchment, and place them on a cooling rack.
- Cut the prawns into thirds.
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Microplane the garlic or chop it very finely.
- Put the butter into an unheated pan and turn the heat to medium-low.
- Melt the butter gently, avoiding overheating or separating the milk solids.
- Add the garlic and stir gently until softened.
- Add the prawns and cook slowly until they turn light pink.
- Fold in the parsley, season with salt, and taste.
- Remove the prawns from the pan and leave them to cool slightly.
- Keep the garlic butter in the pan for later.
- Tear the arugula leaves, removing stems, and place a few leaves into each baked wonton basket.
- Add a teaspoon of sour cream on top of the arugula.
- Place three pieces of garlic prawn on the sour cream.
- Spoon some of the garlic butter over each basket.
- Finish with a drizzle of sriracha or another hot sauce.
Notes
The cut in the wonton wrappers helps stop them rising while cooking. Watch them carefully in the final few minutes as they brown quickly. Use large prawns and cut them into pieces rather than using small prawns, which can overcook. The arugula at the bottom helps stop the sour cream making the wontons soggy.
Why it works for taste loss
This recipe creates a strong sensory experience through contrast. The crisp wonton basket gives crunch, the sour cream adds cool creaminess, the prawns bring firm texture and savoury depth, and the garlic butter adds richness and warmth. The arugula adds a peppery bitter note, while the hot sauce provides heat that may still register clearly when taste is reduced.