Name: Chinese Prawns Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 250 g Prawns or shrimp; 1 1/2 tbsp flour; 1 tsp ground paprika; 1/2 tbsp of sesame oil for frying; 3 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp sesame oil for the sauce; 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce; Splash of rice wine vinegar; 1/2 tbsp garlic granules; Finely chopped red chilli pepper; 3 roughly chopped spring onions; Sprinkle of sesame seeds; Rice to serve (optional)

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Chinese prawns recipe, served with rice, sesame seeds and fresh chillies is a simple yet full flavoured stir fry recipe that takes minutes to put together. With just 10 minutes of prep time and only 5 MINUTES of cook time, this Chinese shrimp stir fry is perfect for your busy schedule!

Chinese shrimp recipes really are a delight in the kitchen, mainly because prawns are so easy to prepare. Their subtle, delicate flavour allows them to pair well with stronger, bolder ingredients like soy sauce and garlic and once in the pan they take seconds to cook. The change from grey to bright pink lets you know when the prawns are ready and they also look pretty amazing too.

Its no wonder that prawns and shrimp are used again and again in prawn starter recipes and easy seafood appetisers. Stir fry prawns are a great way to kick off any meal and you know it won’t be too time consuming. If in doubt, a good bit of honey in the pan whilst frying, will produced beautiful honey glazed prawns that look amazing presented on a bed of simple greens. Other great prawn recipes you try include salmon and prawn linguine, homemade sushi rolls and cucumber canapes with prawns.

What is the difference between shrimp and prawns?

When it comes to flavour the difference between shrimp and prawns is subtle. In most cases, particularly when it comes to cooking, the words shrimp or prawns can be used interchangeably. Although they are not actually identical.

In the US, ‘shrimp’ is used much more frequently, whereas in the UK, Australia and New Zealand the word prawn is used to describe both shrimp and prawns. The word shrimp is used in the UK to describe a smaller crustacean, termed the browned shrimp and is mainly used in a recipe called potted shrimp.

The physical difference between shrimp and prawns is in their size, shells, and the number of claws they have. The shrimps second shell segment overlaps both the first and third segments, whereas in the prawn each segment overlaps the next. Also the shrimp has 2 pairs of claws, whereas the prawn has 3. If you’re eating peeled shrimp or prawns there won’t actually be much difference. But there is NOTHING like biting into a large, meaty prawn in this Asian stir fry recipe.

Prawns vs, shrimp: which should I use?

You can use shrimp and prawns interchangeably for this prawn recipe and others, but I recommend trying it with prawns first!

Prawns nutrition

Prawns are great option if you are looking for a healthy shrimp recipe. Prawns are low in calories and in fat but still provide a source of omega 3 fatty acids. They are also a good source of protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids, making prawns just as good a source of protein as chicken or beef. They also contain a variety of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6, which helps the body to release and use energy, and B12, which helps the body to make red blood cells and keeps the nervous system healthy.

Stir fry prawns recipe ingredients

To make this simple and delicious chilli garlic prawns recipe you will need:

250g Prawns or shrimp
1 ½ tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon ground paprika
½ tablespoon of sesame oil for frying
3 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame oil for the sauce
1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
Splash of rice wine vinegar
½ tablespoon garlic granules
Finely chopped red chilli pepper
3 roughly chopped spring onions
Sprinkle of sesame seeds
Rice to serve (optional)

Olive oil or canola oil can be used in place if sesame oil, if desired.

Can I double this Chinese prawns recipe for a family-size meal?

Yes! These chilli garlic prawns serve two, but if you’d like to double the recipe to serve four, simply double the ingredients used. You may need to cook in two batches for a larger serving size, depending on the size of your pan.

How to make chilli garlic Chinese prawns

Start by placing the raw prawns onto kitchen paper or dry, clean tea towel. Pat dry and remove any excess water. Next place the prawns into a small bowl and sprinkle over the flour and ground paprika. Mix well to fully coat the prawns.
Place a pan on a medium heat and add half a tablespoon of sesame oil, when hot add the prawns and stir fry for 30 seconds or until just pink. Remove from the heat whilst the sauce is prepared.
In a small bowl mix together the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, sweet chilli sauce, rice wine vinegar and garlic granules.
Return the pan to the heat and pour the Chinese sauce over the prawns. Bring to a simmer and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chopped chilli and spring onions
Serve with rice and sprinkle over sesame seeds (Optional)

What sides go with a Chinese prawns stir fry recipe?

In this prawn stir fry recipe I used a plain rice side, however, any kind of fried rice or stir fried noodles or other type of grain would work just as well. These Chinese prawns would be delicious with thin cut vegetables like carrots and cucumber along with rice, like in these Beef Bulgogi Meal Prep Bowls; you could even serve them with the beef! For a slightly lighter option go for a roasted cauliflower salad with lemon herb dressing.

You can serve Chinese prawn recipes as easy appetizer in only 5 minute! Easy seafood appetizers, especially shrimp appetizers and Asian cuisine like this, are a perfect fit for parties.