Description
This Honey Prawns recipe delivers delightfully crispy prawns with a light, crunchy coating that stays crisp for ages. The prawns are double-fried in a light cold batter and paired with a luscious honey glaze that’s both sweet and savory. Crispy rice noodles and sesame seeds add texture and a beautiful presentation, making this dish a perfect appetizer or main course with an irresistible crunch.
Ingredients
Scale
Prawns
- 300g (10oz) prawns/shrimp, peeled with tail on (or 600g/1.2lb whole unpeeled)
- 1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt (halve if using table salt)
- 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch (for dusting)
Batter
- 9 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 6 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)
- 1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt (halve if using table salt)
- 2/3 cup + 1 tbsp COLD soda water, club soda or seltzer water (NOT sparkling mineral water)
Frying
- 3 – 4 cups vegetable or canola oil (~4cm / 1.5″ depth in a pot)
Sauce
- 1/3 cup (100g) honey
- 1.5 tbsp (25g) glucose OR light corn syrup
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or all-purpose soy sauce)
- 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine (or mirin)
Optional Garnishes
- 25g / 2 oz vermicelli rice noodles (must be rice noodles, not mung bean noodles)
- Sesame seeds
- Finely sliced green onions
Instructions
- Season and dust prawns: Toss the prawns with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Do this just before cooking because salting ahead causes the prawns to sweat, which compromises crispiness. Then place 1/2 cup cornflour in a bowl and dredge each prawn in it, shaking off the excess. Set aside on a plate.
- Prepare cold batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together 9 tbsp cornflour, 6 tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Place this mixture in the fridge to chill while you heat the oil. Keeping the batter ingredients cold ensures a crisp coating.
- Heat oil: Fill a small pot or large saucepan with about 4 cm (1.5 inches) of vegetable or canola oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 160°C (320°F).
- Make the batter: Remove the cold dry ingredients from the fridge when the oil is near temperature. Add 2/3 cup plus 1 tbsp cold soda water to the dry mixture and whisk gently about 10 times just to combine; some lumps are okay. The batter should fully coat the prawns easily without being see-through or heavy. Adjust batter thickness with small additional amounts of soda water as needed.
- Dredge and fry – First fry: Holding each prawn by the tail, dip it into the batter and hold it aloft for about 2 seconds to let excess drip off. Carefully place the battered prawns into the oil in batches of 6, making sure not to crowd the pot as it will lower the oil temperature. Fry for 3 minutes or until lightly golden and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Repeat frying: Repeat the batter dipping and first frying process with the remaining prawns, cooking in 4 batches total. After all are fried, let the prawns cool for 20 minutes to set the crispiness.
- Make Honey Sauce: Combine 1/3 cup honey, 1.5 tbsp glucose or light corn syrup, 1 tbsp light soy sauce, and 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 minutes until the sauce resembles the consistency of maple syrup. Keep the sauce warm with a lid, as it thickens too much if cooled.
- Heat oil for second fry: Increase oil temperature to 200°C (390°F) for the second fry.
- Second fry for ultra-crispy prawns: Fry half of the cooled prawns in the hot oil for another 3 minutes, or until the prawns deepen from pale golden to a very golden color, indicating an ultra-crispy coating. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat for the remaining prawns.
- Toss prawns in sauce and serve: Immediately transfer the prawns to a metal or heat-safe bowl and pour the warm honey sauce over. Quickly toss with a rubber spatula to evenly coat the prawns before the sauce thickens. Serve stacked on crispy rice noodles if using, garnished with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
- Optional crispy rice noodles: While oil is hot, drop a wad of vermicelli rice noodles into the oil for about 3 seconds until they puff up, then remove with tongs. Drain on paper towels and place on serving plate. These crispy noodles stay crisp indefinitely and add an elegant crunch beneath the prawns.
Notes
- Use kosher or cooking salt for best flavor; if using table salt, halve the amount because it’s finer and saltier.
- Keep batter ingredients cold to ensure maximum crispiness.
- Use cold soda water (not sparkling mineral water) to help create a light, bubbling batter coating.
- Glucose or light corn syrup balances the sauce sweetness and helps it coat the prawns well.
- Let frying oil temperature recover between batches to maintain proper frying heat and crispiness.
- Double frying helps develop a durable, long-lasting crispy coating that doesn’t sog quickly.
- Honey sauce thickens if cooled, so toss prawns quickly and serve immediately.
- Crispy rice noodles add crunch and elegance but are flavorless and optional.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Honey prawns, crispy prawns, double fried prawns, Chinese appetizer, honey sauce prawns, crispy seafood, rice noodles, Asian fried prawns
