Szechuan Salt & Pepper Prawns.
Have you tried Szechuan pepper?
Szechuan pepper is not a pepper or chilli at all. It is actually a flower. If you haven't tried it before the taste it has a hint of citrus and there is a subtle buzzing warmth in your mouth. The flavour is nothing like chilli though, so don't be put off if you are not keen on spicy food. It really is delicious and I thought it would go really well with prawns instead of chilli. Often, prawns which are breaded are deep fried but this version is baked in the oven so you need not feel so guilty.
Here is a picture of the Szechuan pepper. If you like a burst of flavour you can use it like this or, if you prefer a more subtle taste, pound them with a pestle and mortar.
How to make Szechuam Salt and pepper prawns.
Put some flour in a bowl with the Szechuan pepper, flaked sea salt and ground black pepper.
I use frozen raw king prawns so dry them off with some paper towel and then add them to the flour and coat evenly.
Dip them in beaten egg and then back into the flour mix and place on a non stick baking tray.
Bake at 190 C for about 10 minutes until crisp and then serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce.
Baked, crispy Szechuan salt and pepper prawns. They are not as naughty as normal but they are certainly delicious and very easy to do!
How can I customise this dish?
If you are not keen on prawns this is a great dish to make with squid rings or small pieces. If you score pieces of squid in a diamond pattern they will curl up as they cook. This is also a great coating for baked chicken too. If you want the dish to be even crispier then spray with oil before cooking. It will still be lighter than deep frying. If you have a top tray in an airfryer they these Szechuan Salt and Pepper Prawns could be cooked in an airfryer too.
If you like oriental fish dishes you might also like Crispy Miso Cod
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Szechuan Salt & Pepper Prawns.
Ingredients
- 225 g raw king prawns about 20
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 tbsp plain flour
- 1 tsp flaked sea salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Szechuan pepper
- oil for greasing
Instructions
- Combine the Szechuan, salt and pepper with the flour and dry the prawns.
- Dip the prawns in the flour and coat evenly.
- Dip the prawns in the egg mixture.
- Return the prawns to the flour mixture and arrange on a non stick dish brushed with oil.
- Cook at 190 C for about 10 minutes until crisp and golden.
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Thanks Gala. I really thought you could get everything there! I have to get a lot of spices mail order as they are not so popular in rural France. You really need to try them.
I never even heard about Szechuan flower or pepper! I live in the USA. Try to find here to try what is this Szechuan taste like. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks Brian. It is definitely one of my favourite spices and that 'tingle' is much more subtle than chilli too.
Perhaps not for the kids! We like these as a treat for the two of us and it's really good with squid too.
I have to say I got it in the UK and a little goes a long way. It is very different to the heat of chilli so I hope you get to try it.
Now you are really talking about my kinda food, I love Szechuan pepper, that almost numbing tingle is for me just irresistible and I use it all of the time. What a fab sounding recipe!
I went through a phase where I used szechuan pepper a lot, but partly with the kids not liking spicy things I've got out of the habit. I should try these for us, though, they sound tasty!
I have never seen this Szechuan pepper but I wonder if I have tried it in some Chinese restaurant. From your description it is definitely something I would like to try.
Thanks so much! Yes , it’s nice to get some crunch without deep frying and a lot less smell too!
Delicious looking recipe. I love shrimp and this looks delicious without having to deep fry.
Yes I have the very same problem with this! Thanks very much.
Absolutely drooling on this Amanda.
Thanks Karen. I'm really pleased. They go with anything if you like a little heat. Doing squid rings the same way would be great but I would deep fry them quickly.
Perfect timing on my part as I just bought a jar of Szechuan pepper corns. I can't wait to try your shrimp. I'm pinning.
Thanks Susan. It's just flour seasoned more than normal with the addition of the Szechuan pepper. I normally get William, my youngest, to do the breading!
Not sure of the science! They do get really quite crispy, although I admit they are not the same as fried. Not sure about batter protection but it must do something as they are not overcooked. Perhaps I should have described the szechuan as lip tingling instead!
"Mild burning sensation" is that not an oxymoron? Honestly, how crispy do they get? Does the batter help project the prawn from overlooking? I'm intrigued.
I don't recall having tried this, but perhaps I have and don't know about it. Either way I am going to try it now, this looks delicious and has me drooling! xx