These ketchup prawns have to be one of my favourite childhood dishes of all time. Actually, the whole family is a fan of this dish, and it makes quite a regular appearance on our dinner table whenever we can get our hands on some fresh prawns. It’s ridiculously easy and quick to cook, but the flavours are incredible and addictive, having us all fighting for the last piece. Ketchup prawns (茄汁蝦) are a nostalgic Cantonese home-cooked dish featuring shell-on prawns stir-fried in a sweet, savoury and tangy tomato-based sauce. Unlike restaurant-style sweet and sour dishes, the sauce is lighter and lets the natural sweetness of the prawns shine through. I’m sure you’d love this Cantonese Ketchup Prawns Recipe as much as I do!
Why You’d Love This Cantonese Ketchup Prawns Recipe
It’s tangy and savoury, laced with an addictive touch of sweetness – what’s there not to love?! It’s a dish that gets your hands dirty and leaves you happily licking off every single drop of sauce on your fingers. The recipe takes about 15 minutes to make, perfectly ideal for a quick lunch or easy weeknight dinner. Simply serve it with some Jasmine rice and stir-fried vegetables, and that’s one wholesome meal sorted.
Why Are Ketchup Prawns Popular in Cantonese Cuisine?
When it comes to ketchup, most only consider it as a condiment, but it’s actually a common cooking ingredient in many Hong Kong and Cantonese households. Ketchup was introduced through Western influences and became a staple pantry ingredient in Cantonese kitchens. It adds sweetness, acidity, colour, and umami to many tomato-based stir-fries (e.g. Tomato & Egg Stir-Fry) without needing a complicated long list of ingredients.
How to Serve Ketchup Prawns
Just like many Chinese dishes, simply serve the ketchup prawns with a bowl of Jasmine rice. Ketchup prawns are often part of the many dishes served in family-style dinner spreads. Everyone would be served a bowl of Jasmine rice, with all the dishes placed at the centre of the table. A typical dinner spread would also include stir-fried vegetables and meat.
How to Make Ketchup Prawns at Home
Ingredients for Cantonese Ketchup Prawns
- Tiger Prawns – I used frozen tiger prawns. Shell-on is recommended*
- Ketchup
- Garlic
- Spring Onions – separating the white & green parts
- Worcestershire Sauce – your secret ingredient for umami
- Light Soy Sauce
- White Pepper & Salt – for seasoning
*See recipe notes
Cooking Tips & Recipe Notes
- Shell-on prawns are the way to go for this recipe. The shells release aromatic compounds that intensify the prawn flavour.
- I like to keep the prawn heads on because that’s where the best flavours are. It’s where all the prawn essence is concentrated, releasing this extra umami and aroma to the dish when cooked.
- When handling whole prawns, always rinse and trim them. There are some sharp bits, such as the spike on the head and antennae, that need trimming off with kitchen scissors. Personally, I like to trim off the legs as well.
Common FAQs
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Cantonese Ketchup Prawns
Ingredients
- 1-2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- 12 Tiger Prawns (about 250g) rinsed & trimmed
- 3 cloves Garlic
- ⅓ cup Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- ½ tsp White Pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1-2 Spring Onion (separate white and green parts) cut the white part into chunks and finely chop the green part for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan over medium-high heat.1-2 tbsp Cooking Oil
- Sear tiger prawns for 2-3 minutes on each side until they turn orange & golden in colour. Remove from the pan and set aside. The prawns do not have to be fully cooked at this stage.12 Tiger Prawns (about 250g)
- Slightly reduce the heat to medium and add more oil if needed. Saute garlic and the white parts of the spring onion until fragrant.3 cloves Garlic
- Stir in ketchup and, once it starts bubbling, toss in the tiger prawns.⅓ cup Ketchup
- Add light soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Stir-fry for a few minutes.1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- Season with white pepper & salt, then toss in the remaining spring onions (the finely chopped green parts).½ tsp White Pepper, Salt, 1-2 Spring Onion (separate white and green parts)
- Serve immediately with Jasmine rice.
Notes
- Shell-on prawns are preferred for this recipe as the shells release aromatic compounds that intensify the prawn flavour.
- The best flavours are concentrated at the head of the prawns. It’s best to keep the heads when you cook this recipe, allowing the prawn essence to release umami into your final dish.
- Always rinse your prawns, and it is recommended to trim off the spike and antennae before cooking. I like to trim the legs off, too. You can do so with a pair of kitchen scissors.
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Made these tonight. Only had prawns that were headless but they were still very good! Served with stir fried vegetables and rice. Very good simple and quick meal. Thanks
Hi Cathy, so glad you enjoyed it! That sounds like an easy but delightful meal 😋