Stir-fried prawns with chayote & wood ear
Crisp, sweet chayote quick-fried with prawns and wood ear fungus, with a little shredded tangerine peel for a fragrant, appetising lift.
- 23 min
- Serves 2
- Stir-fry
- Easy
Why it suits you: Qi Stagnation brings low mood, a tight chest and a poor appetite. Chayote moves qi and settles the middle, tangerine peel soothes the liver and wakes the appetite, and wood ear keeps things flowing — a fragrant stir-fry to lift the spirits as Frost's Descent nights draw in.
Method
Prep 15 min · Cook 8 min- 1Pat the prawns dry and toss with a pinch of salt and the cornflour. Trim the soaked wood ear and tear into pieces. Shred the softened tangerine peel.
- 2Peel the chayote, remove the seed and slice thinly, wearing gloves as the sap is sticky.
- 3Heat the oil and fry the ginger, garlic and peel until fragrant. Stir-fry the prawns until pink and set aside.
- 4Stir-fry the chayote and wood ear for 3 minutes with a splash of water, return the prawns, add the soy sauce, toss and serve.
Cautions
- Skip this if you are allergic to prawns or other shellfish.
Chef's tips
- Cut chayote oozes a sticky sap — wearing gloves keeps your hands clean.
The TCM view
Chayote is sweet and cool, moving qi, settling the middle and soothing the liver; tangerine peel is pungent, bitter and warm, moving qi and strengthening the spleen; wood ear is sweet and neutral and moistens; prawn is sweet and warm and builds qi. Fragrant and freeing, it moves qi without draining it.
