Description
Sesame shrimp toast, also known as prawn toast, is a popular Asian appetizer featuring a flavorful shrimp paste spread on toasted bread, coated with sesame seeds, and pan-fried to a golden crisp. This recipe yields a crispy, savory treat that’s perfect for sharing or serving as a tasty snack or starter.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp Paste
- 1/2 lb raw shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined weight
- 1 egg white
- 1 tsp garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 spring onions (scallions), finely sliced (optional)
Other Ingredients
- 5 slices white bread (or 6 slices if needed)
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds (approximate, for sprinkling)
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil or canola oil (approximate, for frying)
Instructions
- Make the shrimp paste: Place the shrimp, egg white, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse until it forms a relatively smooth paste. Add the thinly sliced spring onions and pulse a few more times to combine evenly.
- Prepare the bread: Cut each slice of bread diagonally into four triangles. Take about a teaspoon of the shrimp mixture and spread it evenly over one side of each bread triangle, reaching as close to the edges as possible.
- Coat with sesame seeds: Sprinkle sesame seeds generously over the shrimp-spread side of each bread piece. Gently press the seeds into the paste to help them adhere. Arrange the pieces close together to sprinkle seeds all at once if desired.
- Heat oil in a skillet: Pour a thin layer of vegetable or canola oil into a frying pan or skillet and heat over medium heat, ensuring the oil covers the pan surface or pools slightly along the sides.
- Fry shrimp toast, shrimp side down: Place the bread pieces shrimp side down in batches. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes until the sesame seeds begin to brown and the shrimp changes color, indicating it’s cooked.
- Flip and fry the other side: Turn the bread over and cook the underside gently for another 2 to 3 minutes to crisp up the bread without burning it. Remove from the pan and drain on kitchen paper to remove excess oil.
- Serve warm: Repeat frying with remaining batches. Serve the sesame shrimp toast warm to enjoy its crispy texture and flavorful shrimp topping.
Notes
- Ensure the shrimp paste is well blended for a smooth texture but not overly processed into a paste that’s too fine.
- Using white bread helps achieve a crisp and light texture; crusts can be removed if preferred.
- Monitor heat to avoid burning the bread while ensuring the shrimp cooks thoroughly.
- Spring onions are optional but add a pleasant fresh flavor.
- Leftover sesame seeds can be reused or stored for other recipes.
