How To Cook Prawns Like A Pro
Juicy, fat and meaty, prawns turn a dreary weeknight meal into a bright feast at lightning speed. They cook in minutes from fresh or defrosted and they tell you when they're ready by changing colour from translucent grey to beautiful opaque pink.
Should I keep the shells on prawns?
It isn’t a must to keep the shells on during cooking but it does help prawns to stay moist, tender and flavourful in the middle – peel them off just before eating (along with the head and tail, which are perfect for making shellfish stock) or, if you prefer, remove them before you begin cooking.
To clean away the ‘vein’ (or intestinal tract) that runs along the back of each prawn, use kitchen scissors to cut a straight line through the shell running from the head to the tail. Once the vein is revealed, use the tip of a knife to remove it before cleaning each prawn under a running tap.
Pan fried prawns
For quick pan-fried prawns, use finely chopped ingredients so your meal is ready in a jiffy. Toss your prawns into a sizzling pan of butter, finely chopped garlic, chilli flakes and shards of ginger and cook for 3 to 4 minutes for a speedy dinner. Pile up into a soft taco, serve with crusty bread or toss some cooked linguine into the pan of garlicky-butteriness for a carb-loaded prawn banquet.
Barbecued prawns
Barbecue bigger prawns, like tiger and king prawns, with the shells on to protect the juicy meat inside. The shells also add lots of flavour as they grill and look deliciously appetising when served whole. Butterflying them (slicing through them lengthways from the head to the tail and opening them out like a book) helps them to cook faster and sears the flesh for more flavour.
Barby your prawns over white coals for 4-6 minutes depending on their size (we say the bigger the better!) and place on a serving platter before slathering on some herby butter or sticky soy glaze. Or how about marinating and basting them in the lip-smacking chilli garlic sauce in this grilled prawn recipe before spritzing over some fresh lime?
Curried prawns
Add prawns to fragrant Thai and Asian curries at the last moment so they retain their succulency and don't become rubbery. Prepare your curry base first and once it’s golden and bubbling, toss in your prawns and cook until they change colour and are cooked through to the middle. Garnish with fresh green herbs.
Prawns in rice dishes
Prepare your rice for paella, congee, jambalaya and risotto as normal and add the prawns for the final 3-4 minutes of cooking time (longer if you’re using particularly fat king prawns). Alternatively, fry them separately, as described in this yummy prawn risotto recipe, and mix into the cooked rice at the very end.
Minced mini prawns
Small prawns are ideal for making burgers, patties and the fillings for Chinese dumplings and bao buns. Process them with aromatics, like onions, garlic and herbs, before shaping and frying, or use as a scrumptious stuffing in pan fried and steamed potstickers. Better yet, pile the minced prawns onto some bread triangles, cover in sesame seeds and deep fry for home made prawn toasts.
Deep fried prawns
Coat your prawns in a tempura batter made with plain flour and carbonated water and deep fry for 2-3 minutes so the coating crisps up and the middle is luscious and soft. Eat with a dipping sauce or give them a quick flash fry in a wok with onions, garlic, chilli and black pepper to make your own version of Chinese takeaway fave Salt and Pepper prawns.
