Chilli prawns recipe with video – Indo chinese style chilli prawns that can be served as a starter or a side with fried rice or Chinese style Noodles or simple Pasta dishes. There are many ways a Indo chinese chilli recipe is made, this recipe is quite simple and made with very few ingredients and mostly healthy since there is no deep frying involved. This chilli prawns recipe just takes about 20 mins including the preparation time if you have the cleaned & brined prawns ready.
I have a very long list of recipe requests from readers, but haven’t been able to share most of them due to time constraints. Hopefully I will be able to share at least some of them from now on.
This chilli prawns recipe is roughly adapted from the chilli chicken recipe on the blog except I haven’t deep fried the prawns here. This recipe also involves brining the prawns to give a soft tender texture and prevents them from turning rubbery or hard if cooked right. However you can also skip that here if you follow any other method of tenderizing them.
Make sure you cook only until they get a C shape, do not overcook them. If you brine the prawns, it is good not to batter fry them as they will not turn crispy or crunchy even if you deep fry them. Brined prawns are good for soup or curry recipes not for deep fry as they may turn very soft and soggy.
I have followed the method of sprinkling flour over the brined prawns so that the excess moisture in them will be absorbed by the flour. Though they do not turn out to be crusty like pakora, the flour coating turns out to be crusty and tastes delicious after it is being added to the chilli sauce.
I do not make Indo chinese gravy recipes often as they need lot of sauces, corn flour etc which are not healthy. However I have added in the notes on how to make gravy version of this chilli prawns.
For health reasons, do use only organic plain flour, soya sauce and good quality corn flour. Refrain from using sauces that have unhealthy additives.
For more Indo chinese recipes, you may like to check
Chilli chicken
Chilli paneer
Chilli potato
Chilli mushroom
Chilli prawns recipe
Chilli prawns
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
Brining (30 mins, optional)
- 1 ½ tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt preferably sea salt
- 1 cup water
For marination
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- 1 tbsp plain flour or maida (organic or unbleached)
For sauce
- 1 ½ tbsps oil for frying prawns
- 1 tbsp olive or sesame oil for sauce
- ½ cup capsicum cubed or bell pepper
- ¼ cup Spring onions or ½ cup cubed onions layers seperated or as desired
- 1 tbsp garlic chopped
- 1 to 2 green chili slit
- 1 ½ tbsps. Chilli sauce
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp soya sauce (low salt)
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp vinegar
- 1 tsp chili powder with 2 tbsps water or 1 tbsp chili paste
- 250 grams deveined prawns about 8 to 12 large
- ½ tsp pepper crushed
- ½ tsp sugar
How to make the recipe
Preparation for chilli prawns
- Devein and clean the prawns well. Rinse them under running water.
- Add sugar and salt to a bowl. Pour 1 cup of water. Stir well and add the prawns to this liquid.
- Set aside for 30 mins, meanwhile proceed with other preparation.
- Drain the water completely from the prawns and add corn flour, plain flour and pepper. Mix every thing well and set aside for 10 mins. This helps the excess moisture from the prawns to be released and make the flour moist.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the prawns on a medium heat. Gently flipping to and fro. Since they are brined the cooking time reduces to half. So they just get done under 3 mins, though it depends on the size of the prawns. The prawns swril and take a C shape when are done. Do not overcook they will turn hard and rubbery.
- By then the flour coated over the prawns turn crisp. Set these aside to a absorbent tissue.
How to make chilli prawns
- Clear up the pan and add more oil. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add chilies, capsicum and onion cubes or spring onions. Sprinkle very little salt and sugar.
- Saute on a high flame just for one to 2 mins until the bell peppers are half cooked yet retain their crunch.
- Add chilli sauce, chilli paste, soya sauce, vinegar and pepper. You will also need to add 2 tbsps of water.
- Mix and allow the sauces to bubble. Taste this and add more spice or sauce if you like.
- Switch off the stove and add the prawns.
- Toss well and add spring onion greens if you have in hand.
- Serve chilli prawns immediately to enjoy the crust.
Video
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
Use 2 tsps soya sauce, 2 to 3 tbsps chilli sauce, 2 tsps vinegar and 1/2 tsp pepper at step 9.
Add half tsp corn flour to 4 tbsps of water along with little salt. Mix very well to make it lump free. Pour this to the pan just before adding prawns, allow to bubble and thicken. Switch off when the sauce turns thick and then add the prawns.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
If you are new to cooking, follow my detailed step by step photo instructions for best results.
Ann says
We made this today. Brined the prawn – it was a new learning. The whole dish turned out great . Thanks for the simple easy to follow recipe.
swasthi says
Hi Ann
You are welcome! Glad it turned out good. Thank you
Roro says
Hi swasthi, very nice recipe! How do I make the marination batter stick(flour) to the prawn? It doesn’t stick to it and mostly fell off while frying 🙁 but the sauce came out great.
swasthi says
Hi Roro,
Thank you! Sprinkling some water should help. If the prawns are not moist, the flour will not stick to them. Alternately you can make a batter of the flour but the prawns will have to be deep fried. Hope this helps
Kiran says
Although I haven’t yet tried any of the recipes they all seem delicious and easy!!!! Will try the chilli prawns today Thsnks!
swasthi says
Hi Kiran,
You are welcome! Thanks for rating the recipe. Hope you enjoy the dish!
Sangita Paul says
Can I fry the shrimp and save it in the refrigerator for next day party?
swasthi says
Hi Sangita
They don’t taste good. Chilli prawns are best served immediately after frying and adding them to sauce. The crispness and flavor of fried prawns will be lost if made ahead.
Radhika says
I used the brining method and my prawns turned out extremely salty. I followed the recipe exactly as given.
swasthi says
Hi Radhika
Sorry to hear that. Brining doesn’t make the prawns too salty as you mentioned. But yes if you soak it for too long, prawns can absorb too much of salt. The sauces you used may also have added to the saltiness. I had used naturally brewed soya sauce that is low on salt. I guess the sauces have made them salty.
Moumita Kundu says
the recipe turned out perfect . Thank you .
swasthi says
Welcome Moumita
Sindhu says
I am a great fan of yours.Whenever I plan a new dish I search for your recipie. Your recipies are really tasy and easy.
swasthi says
Hi Sindhu,
Thanks a lot for following the blog
🙂
Manjula says
Very good
swasthi says
Thanks Manjula