Cantonese Ketchup Prawns (Chinese Ketchup Shrimp)
Easy Cantonese ketchup prawns (茄汁蝦) featuring juicy shell-on tiger prawns tossed in a sweet, tangy and savoury ketchup sauce. This quick Chinese ketchup shrimp recipe is ready in just 20 minutes and is perfect to serve with steamed rice.
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 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.
- Pat the prawns really dry before searing. Excess moisture encourages steaming rather than searing and can cause the hot oil to spit.
- Don’t fully cook the prawns during the first sear. They’ll go back into the pan with the sauce, so remove them once they’re mostly cooked to avoid rubbery prawns.
- Let the ketchup bubble before returning the prawns. Give it a brief moment in the hot pan before adding everything else. You want a glossy sauce that clings to the shells rather than a watery ketchup coating.