If you're a fan of Chinese cuisine, you've likely come across prawn toast. This popular starter or snack is a staple in Chinese takeaways and is enjoyed by many. Prawn toast is a dish that features minced prawns that are spread onto bread and then deep-fried until crispy.
Creating the perfect prawn toast can be a challenge, but with the right ingredients and technique, you can make a delicious version at home. The key to making great prawn toast is to use fresh prawns, high-quality bread, and the right seasoning. Once you have your ingredients, you'll need to prepare the prawn mixture and spread it onto the bread before frying it until crispy.
To enhance the flavour of your prawn toast, you can experiment with different seasonings and serving suggestions. Some people like to add sesame seeds or chopped scallions to the prawn mixture, while others prefer to serve it with sweet chilli sauce or soy sauce. Whether you enjoy it as a starter or snack, prawn toast is a tasty and satisfying dish that is sure to please.
Key Takeaways
- Prawn toast is a popular Chinese starter or snack that features minced prawns spread onto bread and deep-fried until crispy.
- To make great prawn toast, use fresh prawns, high-quality bread, and the right seasoning, and fry until crispy.
- Experiment with different seasonings and serving suggestions to enhance the flavour of your prawn toast.
Creating the Perfect Prawn Toast
If you want to make the perfect prawn toast, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. In this section, we'll go over the ingredients you'll need, the preparation techniques, and the different cooking methods you can use.
Selecting Ingredients
To make the best prawn toast, you'll need fresh prawns, white bread, sesame seeds, egg white, ginger, garlic, spring onion, and coriander. When selecting your ingredients, make sure they are fresh and of high quality. You can find a prawn toast recipe video online to help you with the process.
Preparation Techniques
To prepare the prawn mixture, you'll need to use a food processor. Add the prawns, ginger, garlic, egg white, and seasonings, and blend until you have a smooth paste. Stir in the spring onion and coriander.
Cut the bread into triangle shapes or your desired shapes or sizes. Spread the prawn mixture evenly on the toast, taking it right to the edges of the bread. Dip the prawn side of the toast into sesame seeds, pressing gently to make sure they stick.
Cooking Methods
There are several ways to cook prawn toast, including shallow frying, deep frying, baking, and air frying. Shallow frying is the most common method, but you can also bake or air fry the prawn toast for a healthier option.
To shallow fry, heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the prawn toast and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crispy.
To deep fry, heat oil in a deep fryer or a deep pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the prawn toast and fry for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
To bake, preheat your oven to 200°C. Place the prawn toast on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
To air fry, preheat your air fryer to 200°C. Place the prawn toast in the air fryer basket and air fry for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Flavour Enhancements and Serving Suggestions
Seasoning Mixes
To add more depth of flavour to your prawn toast, consider adding a pinch of salt, white pepper, and sugar to the prawn mixture. This will enhance the natural sweetness of the prawns and give them a slightly spicy kick. You can also experiment with different seasoning mixes, such as adding a dash of soy sauce or sesame oil for an Asian twist.
Dipping Sauces
Prawn toast is traditionally served with a sweet chilli sauce or chilli sauce for dipping. However, you can also try serving it with soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce for a more tangy flavour. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even make your own dipping sauce by mixing together your favourite ingredients, such as soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger.
Side Dishes
Prawn toast makes a great appetizer for a dinner party or a tasty snack for a night in. To turn it into a full meal, consider serving it alongside other dim sum favourites, such as spring rolls or dumplings. You can also pair it with a zesty Asian chopped salad or fruity pineapple fried rice for a refreshing contrast to the rich and savoury prawn toast.
When serving prawn toast, presentation is key. Arrange the slices on a platter and garnish with chopped spring onions or sesame seeds for an Instagram-worthy dish that's sure to impress your guests.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make prawn toast from scratch?
To make prawn toast from scratch, you will need peeled and deveined prawns, white bread, egg whites, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. First, you need to make a prawn paste by blending the prawns, egg whites, cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Then, spread the prawn paste onto slices of white bread, sprinkle sesame seeds on top, and fry until golden brown. Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.
What's the best way to cook prawn toast in an air fryer?
To cook prawn toast in an air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Spread the prawn paste onto slices of white bread, sprinkle sesame seeds on top, and place them in the air fryer basket. Cook for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.
Can you find prawn toast in American Chinese takeaways?
Prawn toast is a popular appetizer in Chinese restaurants and takeaways in the UK and Australia, but it is not as common in American Chinese takeaways. However, some Chinese restaurants in the US may offer prawn toast on their menu.
What ingredients are needed for authentic Singaporean prawn toast?
Authentic Singaporean prawn toast is made with prawns, bread, garlic, shallots, coriander, egg, salt, pepper, and sesame seeds. The prawn mixture is seasoned with garlic, shallots, coriander, egg, salt, and pepper, then spread onto slices of bread and coated with sesame seeds before frying.
How do you prepare frozen prawn toast?
To prepare frozen prawn toast, preheat the oven to 200°C. Arrange the frozen prawn toast on a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and heated through. Alternatively, you can cook frozen prawn toast in an air fryer by following the instructions for cooking prawn toast in an air fryer.
Are sesame seeds necessary for a traditional prawn toast recipe?
Sesame seeds are a traditional ingredient in prawn toast recipes, but they are not necessary. You can omit the sesame seeds or substitute them with other toppings such as chopped scallions or chopped peanuts.