Chinese Salt & Pepper Prawns
Chinese Salt & Pepper Prawns are a crispy, flavorful dish featuring deep-fried prawns tossed with garlic, chili, and scallions. A popular Chinese takeout favorite, it’s perfect as an appetizer or main course.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Halal
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb large prawns, peeled and deveined (tails on optional)
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp Chinese five spice powder (optional)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 fresh red chilies, thinly sliced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 tsp toasted Sichuan peppercorns, crushed (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine cornstarch, salt, pepper, and five spice powder.
- Toss the prawns in the mixture until evenly coated.
- Heat oil in a deep pan or wok to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry the prawns in batches until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels.
- In a clean pan or wok, add 1 tbsp of the frying oil. Sauté garlic, chilies, green onions, and Sichuan peppercorns (if using) for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the fried prawns and toss quickly to coat with the aromatics.
- Serve immediately, garnished with extra green onions or chili if desired.
Notes
- Do not overcook the prawns—they should be just golden and still juicy.
- Can be served with steamed rice or as part of a larger meal.
- Sichuan peppercorns add a tingling heat but can be omitted for a milder version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe
- Calories: 310
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 690mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 170mg
Find it online: https://ukfinda.com/chinese-salt-pepper-prawns/