Description
This Honey Prawns recipe delivers ultra-crispy battered prawns coated in a luscious honey glaze that stays crispy for ages. Double-fried to perfection, these golden prawns combine a light, crackly texture with a sweet, savory sauce made from honey, glucose, and soy, garnished with sesame seeds and green onions. Optional crispy puffed vermicelli rice noodles add a delightful crunch contrast, making this dish a show-stopping appetizer or main course inspired by Chinese cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
Prawns Preparation
- 300g/10oz prawns/shrimp, peeled with tail on (600g/1.2lb whole unpeeled)
- 1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt (halve for table salt)
- 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch
Batter
- 9 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 6 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)
- 1/2 tsp salt (kosher/cooking, halve for 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)
Honey 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)
Garnish and Optional Crisping
- 25g / 2 oz Vermicelli rice noodles (optional; a wad of it, must be rice noodles, not mung bean noodles)
- Sesame seeds
- Finely sliced green onions
Instructions
- Season and dust prawns: Mix prawns with 1/2 tsp salt just before cooking to avoid sweating and soggy coating. Place 1/2 cup cornflour in a bowl, dip each prawn in it, shaking off excess, then set aside on a plate.
- Prepare batter dry mix: Whisk together 9 tbsp cornflour, 6 tbsp plain flour, 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Chill this mixture in the fridge while heating the oil to keep the batter cold for crispiness.
- Heat oil: Pour 3-4 cups vegetable or canola oil into a small pot to about 4cm depth, heat it on medium-high stove until it reaches 160°C/320°F.
- Make batter: Just before frying, add 2/3 cup plus 1 tbsp cold soda water into the chilled dry mix and whisk quickly about 10 times—some lumps are okay for texture. Adjust thickness with a teaspoon of extra soda water if needed, aiming for a batter that fully coats prawns but isn’t too heavy.
- First fry: Holding prawns by the tail, dip in batter, let excess drip off for 2 seconds, then carefully lower into the oil. Fry in batches of 6 to avoid crowding, for 3 minutes until light golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and cool for 20 minutes.
- Make honey sauce: Combine honey, glucose (or light corn syrup), soy sauce, and cooking wine in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat for 3 minutes until syrupy like maple syrup. Keep warm with a lid on.
- Second fry: Increase oil temperature to 200°C/390°F. Fry prawns again in batches until very golden and crisply built to last, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Toss prawns in sauce and serve: Quickly toss hot prawns in honey sauce using a rubber spatula to coat evenly before sauce thickens. Serve immediately over crispy puffed vermicelli noodles if using. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.
- Optional crispy rice noodles: While oil is hot, deep fry a wad of vermicelli rice noodles for about 3 seconds until they puff up. Remove with tongs, drain on paper towels, and set aside for serving under prawns. These stay crispy if made ahead but flavorless themselves.
Notes
- Salt the prawns just before dusting to avoid moisture that compromises crispiness.
- Keep batter cold by refrigerating dry ingredients and using cold soda water—cold batter creates crispier coating.
- Do not use sparkling mineral water instead of soda water; carbonation level differs.
- Glucose or corn syrup enhances sheen and keeps the honey sauce from crystallizing.
- Let the first fry prawns cool for 20 minutes before the second fry to build crunchiness.
- Avoid overcrowding the pot during first fry to maintain oil temperature.
- Use rice vermicelli noodles for puffing, mung bean noodles won’t crisp properly.
- The second fry finishes the prawns to a golden, ultra-crispy texture that’s resistant to sogginess.
- Toss prawns quickly in sauce before it thickens to maintain even coating.
- The crispy rice noodles are flavorless but add a delightful texture contrast.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: Honey prawns, crispy prawns, double fried shrimp, Chinese appetizer, honey glaze shrimp, crunchy seafood
