Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
These Szechuan prawns are so delicious! Juicy prawns coated in a spicy Szechuan, salt and pepper coating and then baked until crisp for the perfect crunch.
There's no need to deep fry these, so they are healthier and perfect for a starter, appetiser or light lunch too.
Who needs the takeaway?
Bon appétit!
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Why you will love this
I used to love takeaway food, but now I find that it is often expensive, disappointing, oily and, if you live in a village like me, just too far away to justify the trip.
Luckily, this recipe is just so easy and ready in about 20 minutes. There's no messing with hot oil either, which is much healthier for everyone.
You can adapt this recipe to use other ingredients too!
What are the ingredients?
There are few ingredients for salt and pepper prawns.
You will need raw king prawns, about 20 to feed for as a starter. If you are using frozen ones let them defrost thoroughly and then sit on paper towel to drain off. If they are too wet then the coating won't stick.
For the coating I use plain or all purpose flour with flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, along with the Szechuan pepper.
If you like a burst of flavour you can the pepper like this or, if you prefer a more subtle taste, pound them with a pestle and mortar first.
How do you make this?
Put some flour in a bowl with the Szechuan pepper, flaked sea salt and ground black pepper.
Give it a good stir to distribute the spices.
I use frozen raw king prawns so dry them off with some paper towel and then add them to the flour and coat evenly with a fork.
Dip them in beaten egg and then back into the flour mix, to fully coat and place on a non stick baking tray.
Bake at 190C/350F for about 10 minutes until crisp.
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!
Recipe FAQs
Szechuan or Sichuan pepper is not a pepper or chilli at all. It is actually a flower. If you haven't tried it before the taste has a hint of citrus. The strangest thing is the subtle buzzing warmth in your mouth, which is not unpleasant. The flavour is nothing like chilli though, so don't be put off if you are not keen on spicy food.
This is a great dish to make with squid rings or small pieces of squid, if you are not a fan of prawns.
I like to score pieces of squid in a diamond pattern as then 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 a light misting of oil before cooking. It will still be lighter than deep frying b ut will make them extra golden.
Alternatively these salt and pepper prawns could be cooked in an air fryer too.
Top tips
- If you want more of a fine pepper mix I use a small coffee grinder just for spices like this. It also works well for cardamom pods and black pepper too.
- The dipping of the prawns can get quite messy so I like to use one hand for flouring and the other for egg dipping. This will stop you from getting crusty hands!
More fish recipes to try
📋 Recipe
Szechuan Salt and Pepper Prawns.
Ingredients
- 225 g raw king prawns about 20
- 1 egg beaten
- 4 tablespoon plain flour
- 1 teaspoon flaked sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Szechuan pepper
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.
Notes
Top tips
- If you want more of a fine pepper mix I use a small coffee grinder just for spices like this. It also works well for cardamom pods and black pepper too.
- The dipping of the prawns can get quite messy so I like to use one hand for flouring and the other for egg dipping. This will stop you from getting crusty hands!
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Amanda
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.
Gala
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!
Amanda
Thanks Brian. It is definitely one of my favourite spices and that 'tingle' is much more subtle than chilli too.
Amanda
Perhaps not for the kids! We like these as a treat for the two of us and it's really good with squid too.
Amanda
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.
Brian Jones
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!
carolinescookingblog
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!
Laura
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.
Amanda
Thanks so much! Yes , it’s nice to get some crunch without deep frying and a lot less smell too!
A_Boleyn
Delicious looking recipe. I love shrimp and this looks delicious without having to deep fry.
Amanda
Yes I have the very same problem with this! Thanks very much.
Sumith
Absolutely drooling on this Amanda.
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.
Karen
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.
Amanda
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!
Amanda
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!
Fine Dining at Home (@fdathome)
"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.
ourfrenchoasis
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