Brussels Sprouts with Prawns and Bak Kwa is my answer to the post-Chinese New Year problem: what to do with all that leftover bak kwa? This is a wok-fried dish I make when I want something sweet, savory and substantial over rice. The bak kwa caramelizes at the edges, the prawns stay bouncy, and the Brussels sprouts soak up every bit of that sticky glaze.

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I learned this combination from watching my aunt clear her CNY stash one February afternoon. She hated waste, and she loved anything that came together in one pan. Now I make it whenever I find myself with too many vacuum-packed slices of that sweet barbecued pork. It takes twenty minutes from start to finish, and it tastes like you planned it all week.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Only 6 main ingredients: Bak kwa, Brussels sprouts, prawns, garlic, shallots and bell peppers. Everything else is pantry standard.
One wok, start to finish: Blanch the sprouts, drain the water, then fry everything in the same pan. Less washing up than a stir-fry has any right to be.
Perfect for clearing holiday leftovers: That bak kwa you bought too much of? It keeps for months, and this recipe uses it as both meat and seasoning.

The Culinary Secrets Behind This Dish

The brief blanch of Brussels sprouts in salted, sugared water does two things. The salt seasons the vegetable through its surface, while the sugar encourages browning later in the wok. Three minutes is just enough to take the raw edge off without turning them soft. You want them still firm when they hit the hot oil the second time.

Bak kwa is already cooked, glazed and heavily seasoned, so I add it late and treat it like a flavoring rather than a protein. The high heat of the final minute crisps the edges and releases its rendered fat into the sauce. That fat carries the sweetness and smoke into the cornstarch-thickened glaze, which clings to the curved surfaces of the sprouts and prawns instead of pooling on the plate.

What You’ll Need

Equipment

Wok: For blanching the Brussels sprouts and the high-heat finish. A large skillet works but you lose some of the tossing motion that keeps ingredients moving over the hottest part of the pan.
Small bowl: To mix your cornflour slurry before it goes in. Adding dry cornflour straight to hot liquid causes lumps you cannot fix.

Ingredients

Bak kwa, 2 pieces: The sweet-savory backbone of the dish. I use the standard pork slices, not the minced or coin-shaped ones.

Blanch

Brussels sprouts, 300 g: Halved so the cut faces brown and the layers separate slightly to catch sauce.
Oil, 1 tbsp: For the blanching water, to keep the sprouts glossy.
Salt, pinch: Seasons the sprouts during their brief boil.
Sugar, pinch: Helps with color and balances the bitterness of the sprouts.

Stir-fry

Oil, 2 tbsps: Enough to coat the wok surface for even frying.
Garlic, 2 large cloves, minced: The aromatic base. Large cloves have more sweetness and less burn.
Shallots, 2 large, sliced: Softens into the sauce and adds depth that onion alone cannot give.
Prawns, 10 large, shelled and deveined: Cook fast and stay tender if you do not overcrowd the pan.
Water chestnuts, 5, cubed: Fresh ones if you can find them, for real crunch against the soft sprouts.
Yellow bell pepper, ½, cubed: Sweetness and color.
Red bell pepper, ½, cubed: More color, slightly fruitier flavor than yellow.

Sauce

Oyster sauce, ½ tsp: Amplifies the umami already present in the bak kwa without competing.
Salt, pinch: Adjust to taste, the bak kwa brings plenty.
Cornflour, 1 tsp, mixed with 2 tbsps water: Thickens the released juices into a light glaze.

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

1: Cut the bak kwa

Slice into horizontal strips about 3 cm wide, then angle your knife to cut diamonds. The shape matters: thin edges crisp, thick centers stay chewy. Set aside on a plate where they will not stick together.

2: Blanch the Brussels sprouts

Bring water to a rolling boil in your wok. Add the sprouts, 1 tsp oil, salt and sugar. Cook for exactly 3 minutes. They should be bright green and still resist when poked. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider, set aside, and pour out the water.

3: Build the stir-fry base

Return the wok to medium heat. Add 2 tbsps oil, then garlic and shallots. Fry until fragrant and just starting to color at the edges, about 30 seconds. Add prawns and toss until they begin to curl and turn pink, about 1 minute.

4: Add vegetables and bak kwa

Toss in water chestnuts, bell peppers and your diamond-cut bak kwa. Keep everything moving for 3 minutes. The peppers should still have some bite, and the bak kwa edges should be darkening at the corners.

5: Finish with sauce

Turn heat to medium-high. Add oyster sauce, a pinch of salt, and your cornflour slurry. Stir constantly for 1 minute until the liquid turns glossy and coats the back of a spoon. The prawns should be fully curled and just firm. Dish out immediately and serve with hot rice.

Ingredient Substitutions & Variations

Ingredient	Substitute	Taste & Texture Impact
Bak kwa	Chinese sweet sausage (lap cheong), sliced thin and pan-fried first	Less smoky, more garlicky. You may need a teaspoon of honey or maltose to approach the original sweetness.
Fresh water chestnuts	Canned water chestnuts, drained well	Noticeably less crisp and sweet. Rinse them first to remove the tinny taste.
Brussels sprouts	Broccoli florets, halved if large	Works fine, but the sauce does not cling as well to the smooth surfaces. Blanch 2 minutes only.
Oyster sauce	Vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce	Slightly earthier, less rounded. Good for those avoiding shellfish.

Recipe twists:

Variation	Description & Culinary Details
With egg	Push everything to one side of the wok after step 4, crack in 2 beaten eggs, scramble until just set, then fold through. This turns it into a proper one-plate meal.
Extra heat	Add 2 sliced fresh red chilies with the garlic, or a spoonful of sambal oelek with the oyster sauce. The sweetness of the bak kwa carries spice well.

Allergen Friendly Adjustments

Gluten-Free: Not as written. Bak kwa usually contains soy sauce. Use gluten-free bak kwa or substitute with lap cheong and tamari.
Dairy-Free: Already dairy-free. No changes needed.
Nut-Free: Already nut-free. No changes needed.
Shellfish-Free: Substitute prawns with cubed firm tofu or sliced fish cake, and use vegetarian oyster sauce.

Serving and Pairing Suggestions

Jasmine rice: Plain and steaming hot to catch every drop of glaze.
Hot Chinese tea: Pu-erh or tie guan yin cuts through the richness of the bak kwa.
Simple egg drop soup: A light start to balance the savory intensity of the main dish.

Storage, Reheating, and Freezing Guide

Refrigeration: Keeps 2 days in an airtight container. The prawns firm up and the peppers soften, but the flavor holds.
Reheating: Stir-fry over high heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, or microwave covered with a damp paper towel.
Freezing: Not recommended. The texture of the prawns turns rubbery and the Brussels sprouts go waterlogged when thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

▶ Can I use frozen Brussels sprouts?

You can, but thaw and pat completely dry first. Excess moisture prevents browning and makes the final dish soupy. Skip blanching.

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