Crispy prawn toast is infinitely better when it's homemade. Top slices of bread with a simple whizzed up prawn mixture, coat in sesame seeds and fry to golden perfection. You can have these ready in less than 20 minutes!
A Chinese Dim Sum dish fresh from the kitchen of Chris (yep, I let him loose in the kitchen, and I even filmed him too!! - check out the video below), we have these AMAZING prawn toast (or shrimp toast if you're in the US) triangles.
Stuffed with a juicy prawn filling and fried until moreishly crisp (then dipped in sweet chilli sauce, or my homemade sweet chilli jam!). I love these things.
We used to order them quite often when we got a takeaway, but I was ALWAYS disappointed - they were usually overly greasy, or they'd skimped on the prawns. I don't know why we kept ordering them!
But then last New Years Eve, Chris made these prawn toasts as part of our homemade Chinese buffet, and they lasted 3 minutes flat before they were utterly demolished.
Now that we've figured out the best way to freeze them and reheat them too, I'm never ordering them again!!
First we place raw prawns, ginger, garlic, egg white, spring onions (scallions), light soy sauce, salt and white pepper to a mini food processor and blitz to a paste.
Then cut thick white bread into triangles and spread the prawn mixture one side each triangle (about a heaped tablespoon for each triangle.
Dip the prawn side in sesame seeds to coat, then fry for 2-3 minutes (turning once) until golden brown.
That's it! Deep fried dim sum deliciousness! We like our sprinkled with a little fresh coriander, and some sweet chilli sauce for dipping.
Can you bake them in the oven?
You can, but i'm afraid it just won't be as good. Frying the prawn toast ensures that glorious crunch and perfect golden finish.
However, I understand that some people are a little more health conscious, so if you did want to bake them, then make up the prawn toast and brush the bread side with a little oil. Place on a non-stick baking tray and bake at 240c/475F for 10 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.
More Asian Appetizers:
Mini Korean Chicken Bao Buns
Thai Fish Cakes with Sweet Chilli Dip
Easy Chicken Satay with Peanut Chilli Sauce
Sticky AND Crispy Asian Chicken Wings or for a delicious veggie version, try these Asian Style Baked Cauliflower Wings
Oven baked (fall off the bone!) Asian ribs with crispy onions
Serve as part of a banquet - how about:
- Special Fried Rice - full rice masterclass here!
- Sesame chicken - consistently a reader favourite!
- Pulled Crispy Duck - an easy homemade method for delicious crispy duck.
- Crispy Chilli Beef (Chris's all time favourite dinner)
- Sticky Pork Belly - melt-in-the-mouth good!
The Sesame Prawn Toast Video:
Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe:
Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g (7oz) raw prawns (shrimp) - (de-veined and de-shelled) see *Note 1*
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 cloves garlic - minced
- 1 egg white
- 2 spring onions (scallions) - chopped
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 pieces thick sliced white bread
- 6 tbsp sesame seeds
- Vegetable oil for frying - around 1 litre
To Serve:
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli dipping sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the raw prawns, ginger, garlic, egg white, spring onions, light soy sauce, salt and white pepper to a mini food processor and blitz until you get to a paste.
- Slice the bread with 2 straight cuts across each piece from corner to corner leaving you with 12 triangles of bread (no need to remove the crust).
- Spread the prawn paste evenly across one side of each of the bread triangles. It should be roughly 1 tbsp of paste for each triangle.
- Place the sesame seeds onto a plate or in a shallow bowl.
- Dip each of the triangles, paste side down, into the sesame seeds so you get a nice even covering of sesame seeds on the paste. Place on a plate ready for frying.
- Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan over a high heat, until it's hot but not smoking. Pro Tip: You can test this by placing a small chunk of bread into the oil, if it floats and starts to sizzle then the oil is hot enough.
- Working in two to three batches (see *Note 2*), add the triangles into the oil, paste side down and cook for 1-2 minutes, turn, then cook for another 30-60 seconds, until the bread is golden and the prawn paste is cooked through.
- Place on a plate or tray lined with a couple of pieces of kitchen roll to soak up any excess fat.
- Repeat until all you prawn toast is cooked.
- Sprinkle on some fresh, finely chopped, coriander (optional) and serve with the sweet chilli dipping sauce.
Video
✎ Notes
Can you prepare them ahead and cook later?
These prawn toasts are best made and served right away. If the uncooked paste is left on the bread for too long, the bread may go soggy. However, you can make the prawn mixture 3-4 hours in advance, then cover and refrigerate it. Then you can make up the prawn toast right right before cooking.Can you reheat them?
Yes, you can make the prawn toast and fry them, then quickly cool and cover them (within 30-60 minutes) and place in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to a day. Reheat in the oven (uncovered) at 200C/400F for 7-8 minutes until piping hot throughout.Can you freeze them?
Yes, you can make the prawn toast and fry them, then quickly cool and cover them (within 30-60 minutes) and place in the freezer in a sealed container. Defrost fully overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the oven (uncovered) at 200C/400F for 7-8 minutes until piping hot throughout.What type of bread is best?
Thick white bread (1-1.5cm thick) is best. It can be fresh bread or slightly stale - the oil will crisp it up in the same way. Nutritional information is per prawn toast, allowing for ½ tbsp of fat to have been absorbed per prawn toast (this is approximate!).Nutrition
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Abbie says
Looks great! Can I make these in the air fryer?
Miss Bee says
Made to perfection thanks
Diane Chamberlain says
Wow what a treat ! So easy to make but even easier to eat !
Terry says
Just perfect. Comes out as described. Very tasty. Will make my own from now on.
Debs says
Fantastic, but so addictive.... I have frozen some to use at a later date, otherwise they would all have been eaten today and there is only the two of us :-0
Suz says
Most wonderful recipe, the whole family loves them and I will never be able to eat takeaway prawn toast after making these! Heavenly…
Paula says
May I ask what may appear a silly question to some, is there a reason I can’t spread the paste on the whole slice before cutting into triangles to make it a little less fiddly?
Apologies if I’ve missed something obvious…
Sujata says
Made these, they were delicious! Thankyou! I added a bit of lemongrass too to the prawn filling and it was a great touch 🙂
Robin says
Did sweet and sour chicken balls and rice last night, my beautiful wife said that it was fantastic........out on an errand this morning got a text saying " we need prawn toast to go with it!"
Fish shop had sold out of monkfish tails so got prawns and this recipe. Did sweet and sour again with 5 slices of bread, only ate 3 between us and now I'm told I can never buy prawn toast...I have to make it, it was that good. So thank you and thank you!
Ruth Mather says
I will trying doing these when I have time. X
Shubhangi says
Thank you. So easy and so yummy!!!
Coleeen says
Really tasty and so easy to make. Only issue was that I should have made double the quantity... they were almost gone before the rest of dinner was cooked 😀. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Chris Corbishley says
Thanks Coleen,
Glad you enjoyed them, they are so moorish aren't they 🙂
Thanks
Chris
Kath says
Thought I would practice these ready for a family Chinese New Year celebration...so addictive, beat Prawn Toast we have ever had. Thank you Chris.