3/10/09 FW3 Prawning CnC report

We heard about the special October promotion at Ed'sPro Pond, and so had to go try our luck. Unfortunately, the situation was almost as bad as the last time we went.  :(

So while WT continued fishing with hopes of getting a big one (as usual, the boys were trying out all the different methods in their arsenal with little to show for it...), I decided to defect over to the prawn pond.

It has been a long time since I have prawned at FW3. The charges are rather different from the others.

I chose to prawn 2.5 hrs for $24


While I was there prawning alone, a very kind gentleman offered me some of his 'special' bait - cut chicken heart coated with a red powder. He apparently mixes this powder himself and there are people who buy it from him. This additive is supposed to attract more prawns and improve your catch.

Frankly, I cannot say if the additive is very effective as I did not catch much more than usual, but that uncle's total catch was definitely more than mine... So, if you are interested you can go look for him, as he said he is always prawning there every weekend morning!

22 prawns, not including the free prawns that were given to me.  :)



It is very obvious from the photo below that the prawns at FW3 are all the bigger prawns with pincers, I did not catch a single female one there. Maybe the operator specified this with the supplier?

Naked prawns with a teaspoon for comparison.


As my last recipe for fried prawn wontons was a success, I decided to try make their cousins - prawn dumplings in soup.

Prawn Dumplings in Soup

• 15 medium sized freshwater prawns
• 5 water chestnuts
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 2 tbs chopped spring onion
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp chinese cooking wine (optional)
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 20 pcs round dumpling skin
• 150g caixin
• 1 litre water
• 1 cube ikan bilis/chicken stock

1. Wash caixin and cut into 2 inch lengths. 
2. Shell and de-vein prawns, chop roughly into small cubes.
3. Remove skin of water chestnuts and dice. (Note: Do not chop both above ingredients too fine, or the filling would have no crunch.)
4. Remove root part of spring onions and dice.
5. Marinate the prawn meat with the fish sauce, pepper, sesame oil, wine and cornflour.
6. Add the garlic, spring onion and water chestnuts and mix evenly.
7. Scoop 1 tbs of filling and place in the middle of 1 pc of dumpling skin. Brush the edges with a finger dipped in water, fold over into a semi-circle and press to seal.
8. In a pot, add the stock cube to the water and bring to a boil.
9. Put all the dumplings and cook till the dumplings float up and the skin turns translucent.
10. Put the caixin in and wait for the soup to boil again.
11. Turn heat down to a simmer while checking to see if the seasoning is satisfactory. Add fish sauce and pepper to taste if required.
12. Serve immediately (with fried shallots and more spring onions sprinkled on top!).

Before...

After...

Final product!

The uncle who gave me the 'special' bait told me that he is actually quite tired of eating his prawn catch every week. Maybe he doesn't try cooking the prawns in many different ways like we do?  ;p