Chinese prawn toast
Crisp sesame-topped prawn triangles — dim sum-style, golden outside with a juicy prawn paste centre. Ready in under an hour.
Prawn toast is the cheeky dim-sum favourite — crunchy, sesame-studded triangles with a juicy prawn paste tucked inside. It’s party food, pub grub and midweek indulgence rolled into one.
This recipe keeps things authentic but friendly for the home cook: a quick blitz in the food processor, a short chill so the paste behaves, then shallow fry to a perfect golden crisp. Serve with sweet chilli or a simple soy-vinegar dip.
Ingredients
- 350 g raw peeled prawns
- 8 white bread, thin-sliced — crusts trimmed
- 60 g sesame seeds
- 1 large egg — plus one more for wash if you prefer heavier coating
- 15 ml cold water — for egg wash
- 2 spring onions — finely sliced, white and green parts
- 10 g fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
- 1 garlic clove — finely grated
- 15 ml light soy sauce
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 20 g cornflour — helps bind the prawn paste
- 5 ml fine salt
- 0 ml freshly ground black pepper
- 250 ml vegetable oil for frying — approximate — enough for shallow frying in a frying pan
Equipment
- food processor
- digital probe thermometer
- slotted spoon
Instructions
Put the raw peeled prawns, spring onions, fresh ginger, garlic clove, cornflour, light soy sauce, sesame oil, fine salt and freshly ground black pepper into a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until you have a coarse paste — avoid over-blending to keep a little texture.
Transfer the prawn paste to a bowl, cover and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Chilling firms the paste and makes it much easier to spread and keep on the bread while frying.
Trim crusts from the white bread. Using a rolling pin, flatten each slice lightly so it is thin and pliable. Cut each slice into two or three triangles, depending on how large you want them.
Whisk the large egg with the cold water to make an egg wash and set aside.
Working with one triangle at a time, brush one side lightly with egg wash. Spread about 30–40 g of chilled prawn paste over the unwashed side, pressing down firmly so the paste is compact and level. Dip the paste-topped face into the sesame seeds so the seeds stick — press gently to adhere.
Heat the vegetable oil in a wide frying pan over a medium hob until a small piece of bread sizzles on contact (aim for roughly 170°C if you have a thermometer). Fry the toasts sesame-side down first, in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, for about 2½ minutes; turn and fry the bread side for a further 2–3 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
Lift the toasts out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper for about 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack so the undersides stay crisp.
Cut each triangle in half if desired and serve immediately while hot and crisp. Traditional accompaniments are sweet chilli sauce or soy-dipped vinegar, but they’re delicious on their own.
Tips
- Chill the prawn paste — it’s the single best trick for getting the mixture to stick to the bread and not disperse in the oil.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan; frying in small batches keeps the oil temperature steady and the toasts crisp.
- If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the prawns by hand and mix vigorously — texture will be slightly different but still excellent.
- Use cold egg wash (not warm) and a light brush; too much wash makes the bread soggy under the sesame.
- Reheat in a hot oven (200°C fan/220°C conventional) for 6–8 minutes rather than the microwave to retain crispness.
Substitutions
raw peeled prawns → raw peeled king prawns, same weight
Stays closeraw peeled prawns → cooked prawns, roughly chopped, same weight (mixture will be softer and less cohesive — chill well)
Noticeably differentsesame seeds → panko breadcrumbs, 60 g
Noticeably differentcornflour → plain flour, 25 g
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 427
- Calories
- 31 g
- Protein
- 37 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 600 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes — bake on a baking tray at 200°C fan/220°C conventional for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway, and finish under the grill for 1–2 minutes to crisp the sesame. Texture will be slightly lighter than fried.
How do I tell the oil is hot enough?
If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small crumb of bread in — it should sizzle and turn golden within about 10–15 seconds. Adjust the heat if it browns too quickly or not at all.
Can I make the prawn paste ahead?
Yes — make and chill the paste up to 24 hours ahead. Keep it covered and press it back to give it a quick knead before using if liquid separates.
How do I store and reheat leftovers?
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Reheat in a hot oven (200°C fan/220°C conventional) for 6–8 minutes to restore crispness.
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