The dragon and phoenix of the title are metaphors for the two main ingredients: chicken and prawns. Because it is a very elegant dish, it is worth the trouble to use the “going through the oil” technique to seal in the juices of the ingredients before stir-frying them.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts from a 3 to 3 1⁄2-pound (1.3 to 1.6-kilogram) chicken, skinned and boned
8 ounces (225 grams) medium raw prawns, without heads, shelled, halved and deveined
1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt
4 ounces (115 grams) sugar peas, trimmed
peanut or corn oil for deep frying
2 or 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
3 or 4 scallions, cut into 1-inch (2.5-centimeter) sections, white and green parts separated
2 ounces (55 grams) red-in-snow, rinsed
1 tablespoon Shaohsing wine or medium-dry sherry

For the marinade:
1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
6 turns white pepper mill
1 teaspoon Shaohsing wine or medium-dry sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon egg white, lightly beaten

For the sauce:
3⁄4 teaspoon potato flour
5 tablespoons clear stock
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Directions:

Cut the chicken into large even-sized pieces. Put into a bowl.

Prepare the marinade: Add the salt, sugar, pepper, wine or sherry, cornstarch and egg white to the chicken. Stir to mix well. Let marinate for 20 to 30 minutes. Add 1⁄4 teaspoon of the salt to the prawns.

Blanch the sugar peas in plenty of boiling water with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1 tablespoon of oil until the water returns to a boil. Pour into a colander and refresh under cold running water.

Prepare the sauce: Mix together the potato flour, stock and oyster sauce.

Half fill a wok or deep fryer with oil. Heat to a temperature of 350°F (180°C), or until a cube of stale bread browns in 60 seconds. Add the chicken and, using a long pair of chopsticks, separate the pieces and let them “go through the oil” for about 20 seconds . Remove with a hand strainer and put on a plate. Do not turn off the heat.

Add the prawns to the oil for about 20 seconds, separating the pieces with chopsticks. Transfer to another plate. Turn off the heat. Pour the oil into a container for future use, leaving about 5 tablespoons in the wok.

Reheat the wok over high heat until smoke rises. Add the garlic, and as it sizzles, add the white scallions and stir. Add the red-in-snow and stir until hot. Return the chicken to the wok and, sliding the wok scoop or metal spatula to the bottom of the wok, turn and toss until almost cooked. Return the prawns to the wok, continuing to turn and stir. Splash in the wine around the side of the wok, stirring as it sizzles: both chicken and prawns will be cooked by now. Add the sugar peas. Sprinkle in the well-stirred sauce, stirring as it thickens. Add the green scallions. Transfer to a warm serving dish. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 with 2 or 3 other dishes.