Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe, A Chinese Takeaway Classic!

Sesame prawn toast is a Cantonese tea-time favourite. It's a crispy snack that appears often at most Chinese families’ mealtimes. This Chinese dish is both easy to cook and fun to eat!

In this article, we’ll find out more about the dish and use a traditional recipe to cook it. While this dish usually has sesame seeds, we’ll also show you how to cook it without sesame seeds as well as using cooked prawns. 

Jump to:

• What is prawn toast? 
• Origin
• Prawn Toast Calories
• Prawn Toast Ingredients
• Shrimp Toast Cooking Tips
• With Cooked Prawns
• Without sesame seeds
• Frozen Prawn Toast
• Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe | Chinese Takeaway

What is prawn toast? 

Prawn toast is a deep-fried Cantonese dim sum dish. Made from small triangles of bread, the Cantonese then buttered it with a juicy prawn filling before throwing it into the frying pan to sizzle to golden brown perfection. 

We sometimes see it coated with sesame seeds and served with sweet chilli sauce. A commonly ordered takeaway dish, shrimp toast is an awesome appetizer for parties or just a light snack for movie nights. 

Origin

Prawn toast is considered a unique Hong Kong origin dish. It traces its origins to the Cantonese people, who were fond of using prawn paste in their cooking. 

The name itself suggests it is a fusion dish, combining prawn paste and toast. The paste is commonly used in Hong Kong cuisine, and bread is, of course, introduced by the West. 

The first known appearance of this tasty dish is in Guangdong, China over 100 years ago. As the Chinese migrated to other Asian countries, prawn toast also travelled with them. The Japanese know the dish as ‘hatoshi’ (ハトシ) and they serve it in Chinese restaurants. The Thais serve a version of it known as ‘krupuk’ which has a close resemblance to Chinese prawn crackers.

Over time, Chinese chefs cooked up a storm in the West. Just like how dishes such as sweet and sour chicken balls and salt and pepper chicken wings evolved with creative experimentations over time, this seafood snack had the same experience. 

More gradual tweaks to this shellfish dish rendered variations like sesame shrimp toast, which became a popular delight in Australia and the United Kingdom. 

Prawn Toast Calories

One piece of sesame prawn toast has 327 calories. It has 22.9g of carbohydrates, 11g of protein, and 22g of fat. 

Prawn Toast Ingredients

In order to make shrimp toast, these are the main ingredients you'll need: bread, shrimp and seasoning. Now, let's go through each one in more detail!

Bread

First, the bread matters. Try to purchase high-quality, thick, and dense white bread. 

It will not absorb much oil during the deep-frying so the dish does not become an oily soggy mess. White bread also tastes mild, so the taste of flour will not overpower the final product. 

Raw Shrimp

Second, buy raw shrimps with the shells still on. It adds texture and flavour to the snack, compared to unshelled types. It might be tempting to buy unshelled ones to make sesame prawn toast but they usually turn out less juicy. 

Seasoning and sauce ingredients

Other ingredients that should be in your kitchen already or else you can always find them in any Asian supermarket: 

• Light soy sauce
• Fresh spring onions
• Eggs
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Sesame seeds. 

Ginger reduces the fishiness of the prawn, so it is recommended to get some. Light soy sauce is the only seasoning you need for the prawn toast recipe. If you dislike sesame seeds, you can use panko bread crumbs for a nice sharp bite.

Shrimp Toast Cooking Tips

Before you fry up a storm, read these cooking tips first. 

• When you have shelled your shrimps, make sure they are utterly dry before mincing them in the blender. Too much moisture softens the toast later. If you’re using frozen shrimps, then defrost overnight and pat it dry.
• As you get ready to use the bread, make sure it is dry too. That way, the prawn toast does not overcook when you are frying, and the bread does not soak up oil before it is ready. 
• If you’re adding sesame seeds, as a good habit be sure to discard leftover sesame seeds. Because they are so tiny, it’s possible to mix them with the raw shrimps. This can cause food poisoning. 
• While frying, the prawn meat, and sesame seeds go directly into the oil without any batter.
• If you have thoroughly dried the bread, then you do not need to turn it over so often.  To check if the prawn filling is cooked, open one. If there are no translucent bits inside, then the frying time is adequate.
• Once cooked, the dish is best enjoyed with sweet chilli sauce or jam. 
• You can also use an oven for baking prawn toast. It turns out less oily but less crispy. With an oven, use a temperature of 210°C (approximately 410°F), with a fan-forced setting. Then, bake for about 10 minutes. 

With Cooked Prawns

Let’s find out how to stuff your toast with a mixture of cooked shrimps, in this summarised prawn toast recipe with cooked prawns. While raw ones are better, sometimes we just like to save time by buying cooked shrimp. 

While we recommend raw shrimps as it tastes better, fresh shrimps can get contaminated once exposed to air and so require more efficient handling. You won’t have to worry about that if you get a packet of cooked prawns. 

• If you use frosted cooked shrimps, defrost them for a night and pat them dry then peel them. 
• In a food processor bowl, puree the shrimps, spring onion, ginger, salt, and some white pepper to taste. 
• If you prefer more bite, you can also add some cornflour. 
• Mix it until a thick paste is formed. 
• Then spread this puree over the slices and press spoonfuls of sesame seeds onto it. 

Without sesame seeds

While most recipes recommend coating the bread with sesame seeds, it is a preference. To enjoy it without sesame seeds and still get that crispy, nutty layer, you can be creative and use other ingredients. 

One recommended prawn toast recipe without sesame seeds is to use panko bread crumbs to turn the toast nice and crispy. You can also be creative and try maple syrup, honey, or even mayonnaise. 

Some people also serve it with fresh herb salad. The juiciness of the crispy seafood snack with the fresh, clean taste of salad is a refreshing combination, much like prawn cocktails, but with an Asian twist. 

Frozen Prawn Toast

When life gets busy, you just want to cook up a batch of frozen shrimp toast for later. You can definitely do that after preparing the ingredients. 

Freeze the bread first on a flat tray. Then, prepare the prawn mixture 3-4 hours beforehand, cover, and refrigerate it. You can spread the prawn mixture later and then return it to the freezer if you are cooking it later. 

Do not leave the mixture on the bread too long or it will turn soggy. Transfer to an airtight container later. 

However, keep in mind that if you bought frozen prawns, it is better not to refreeze them. Buy fresh prawns if you intend to keep the prawn toast for cooking later. Once ready to cook, defrost it fully overnight in the refrigerator. 

You can also fry them first, then, store them for consumption later. If so, after they are cooked, quickly cool and cover them before placing them in the refrigerator in a sealed container. This must be within 30-60 minutes. Reheat frozen dishes in the oven uncovered for 7-8 minutes until piping hot. 

Wondering what all the steps look like from another creator? Watch the following Youtube by Happy Hungry Hijabi who perfectly shows how to prepare this scrumptious dish from start to finish!

Crispy Sesame Prawn Toast | Special Ramadan Recipe

And we are done! Prawn toast is definitely an easy-to-cook snack for anyone who has some time and a frying pan. 

If you’ve tried this crispy dish and loved it, why not follow us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks for more of such Asian-inspired dishes?