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Wok-Seared Black Tiger Gambas with Homemade XO Sauce

55 min · Medium · Serves 4

Chinese recipes

Vitello TonnatoFrom our menuVitello Tonnato€17.50 · Made by us, delivered chilled.

This is a sophisticated Cantonese dish where sweet black tiger gambas meet a rich, savory homemade XO sauce. You'll butterfly the prawns for maximum sauce contact, sear them for a golden crust, then briefly braise them in the sauce until they're tender and glossy. It's a more accessible but equally luxurious alternative to lobster.

Why Gambas and XO Sauce are a Perfect Match

Black tiger gambas offer a firm, meaty texture that stands up beautifully to the intense umami of XO sauce. Butterflying them not only looks professional but creates a 'pocket' that holds the sauce perfectly.

The two-stage cooking method—searing then braising—ensures the prawns get a flavorful exterior without becoming rubbery in the middle. The cornstarch slurry binds the sauce into a glaze that coats the prawns entirely.

Using gambas makes this high-end Cantonese technique more approachable for a weeknight luxury meal while still delivering the complex flavors of dried scallops and shrimp.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Estimated from ingredient weights, not lab-tested.

Calories
570
Protein
37g
Fat
42g
Carbohydrates
11g

Ingredients

Recipe yields 4 servings

For the XO Sauce

50 g Dried Scallops (Conpoy)
soaked in water overnight, then shredded
30 g Dried Shrimp
soaked in water for 1 hour, then finely chopped
40 g Jinhua Ham or Prosciutto
finely minced
20 g Fresh Red Chilies
finely minced
30 g Shallots
finely minced
12 g Ginger
finely minced
10 g Garlic
finely minced
100 g Neutral oil
for sauce

For the Gambas

500 g Black Tiger Gambas (Butterflied)
peeled, deveined, and butterflied
50 g Neutral oil
for searing
20 g Scallions
whites and greens separated
15 g Shaoxing rice wine
for deglazing
60 g Chicken or seafood stock
low sodium

Instructions

Make the XO Sauce

  1. 1

    Fry the Dried Seafood

    Heat 100g oil over low heat. Add scallops, shrimp, and ham. Fry for 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy.

  2. 2

    Add Aromatics

    Add chilies, shallots, half the garlic, and half the ginger. Cook 3-4 minutes until fragrant and oil is red.

Cook the Gambas

  1. 3

    Butterfly and Dry

    Butterfly the gambas by slicing down the back and pressing flat. Pat extremely dry with paper towels.

  2. 4

    Sear and Braise

    Sear gambas in hot oil for 1-2 minutes. Remove, sauté remaining aromatics, add 60g XO sauce, deglaze with wine and stock, then return gambas to glaze for 1 minute.

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