Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Honey Prawns – stays crispy! Recipe
This can be a recipe for Honey Prawns, old-school Chinese language restaurant-style. The batter coating is a confirmed secret weapon I take advantage of for Honey Chicken that stays crispy for hours, even after tossing with the honey sauce!
The trick? Ice chilly soda water for one. Additionally, cornflour plus flour. Lastly a double-fry, quick changing into the worst-kept cooking secret to much less greasy fried meals that keep crispy for hours!
Honey Prawns are a much-loved favorite at suburban Chinese language eating places and takeaway joints throughout Australia. Plump, snappy prawns are battered and fried till crisp, then tossed in a candy and sticky honey sauce – these phrases alone can have anyone drooling!
As irresistible as they’re, for me Honey Prawns at most eating places undergo one evident defect: they don’t keep crispy for lengthy! As soon as the honey sauce hits that crispy exterior, it’s an categorical experience to Soggy City!
The best reply to this drawback is after all to gobble contemporary Honey Prawns down as quickly as they hit the desk. I heartily endorse this answer. 😂 However that apart … can we do higher?
Sure we are able to! 🙂 Because of a trio of little tips I make use of, these Honey Prawns will keep crisp for not only a few minutes … and even hours …. or in a single day … however you may even reheat them the subsequent day to close freshly-cooked, crispy perfection!
Sound too good to be true? Learn on and turn out to be a believer within the miracle of Keep-Crispy Honey Prawns!
Right here’s what it is advisable to make these Honey Prawns that keep crispy for hours!
1. Prawns and honey sauce
Prawns/shrimp
Recent uncooked prawns are finest when you can, medium to medium-large measurement. Those pictured are 33g complete or 17g peeled, to be precise!
Nonetheless as of late, frozen prawns are literally additionally fairly good. Get massive frozen peeled prawns, thaw them and pat them dry very properly. Frozen prawns are usually fairly watery once they defrost which can compromise the crispiness!
Honey Sauce
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Honey – The first flavour right here. Sure, this sauce is good!
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Glucose syrup – This can be a very thick, clear syrup that is available in jars, often discovered within the baking aisle of supermarkets. This can be a little trick for making a thick honey sauce that coats the floor of the crispy coating with out soaking in a lot and making it soggy. Substitute with clear corn syrup – this works simply as properly.
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Chinese language cooking wine – A generally used ingredient in Chinese language cooking so as to add depth of flavour into sauces in addition to a little bit salt. With out it, the honey sauce tastes a bit flat, prefer it’s lacking “one thing”. Substitute with mirin or when you can’t devour alcohol, low-sodium chicken inventory/broth.
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Soy sauce – For some flavour and seasoning.
No water added! – Most Honey Prawn sauce recipes embrace water and cornflour/cornstarch for thickening. Crispy batters and water are usually not mates! Give the water a miss.
2. Miracle stay-crispy fry batter
And right here’s what you want for the miracle stay-crispy fry batter. I’m simply going to cowl the fundamentals about every ingredient on this part. If you’re concerned with extra in regards to the why, have a learn of the Honey Chicken put up after I first launched this fry batter!
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COLD soda water, membership soda or seltzer water – NOT glowing mineral water which is of course carbonated. We wish one thing that has man-made bubbles in it as a result of it’s fizzier, and the fizz helps with the puffing of the batter. In the meantime chilly liquid is essential for an ultra-crispy end result. The shock of the chilly batter hitting the new oil = super-crispy batter, nearly instantly.
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Cornflour/cornstarch – Wheat flour (ie. plain flour / all-purpose flour) accommodates gluten which causes crispy batters to melt. Cornflour is gluten-free, so utilizing such a flour within the batter is essential for crispiness. We use principally cornflour on this batter.
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Plain flour / all-purpose flour – So why not simply use all cornflour? If you happen to do the batter turns into like a thick glue that’s not workable. Additionally as a result of cornflour doesn’t brown correctly when fried, and stays pale. We wish a pleasant golden color for Honey Prawns! Thus some wheat flour helps right here. We additionally want some to activate the baking powder to make this crispy coating puffy (baking powder doesn’t work on cornflour).
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Baking powder – A key ingredient to present the batter some raise so it’s puffy, somewhat than a skinny coating that’s totally adhered to the prawn like in Candy & Bitter Pork.
This recipe utilises a double-coating methodology for an additional crispy coating. We dusting first with cornflour to seal the prawns, then a batter for crispiness!
1. Getting ready the batter
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Season prawns by tossing with salt. I used to marinate them in a little bit soy sauce and Chinese language cooking wine for flavour, however have since discovered that this compromises the crispiness. Salt is all we’d like – there’s loads of flavour within the crispy coating and the honey sauce that coats it thickly!
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Cornflour/cornstarch dusting – Offers an additional layer to seal within the juiciness of the prawns so it doesn’t soften the crispy coating. A confirmed methodology utilised in Honey Chicken and Candy and Bitter Pork!
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Batter (chilly!) – Made just by mixing the batter elements collectively. A key step for guaranteeing the cooked batter is ultra-crispy is COLD uncooked batter. The shock of the chilly batter hitting scorching oil = crispier prawns. The batter is saved chilly by making it simply previous to frying, and utilizing fridge-chilled soda water / membership soda. For further insurance coverage, you may also chill the bowl and dry elements earlier than mixing within the water – a great tip for inexperienced persons or when making Honey Prawns on scorching days.
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Dip in batter – Dip the floured prawn in one after the other into the batter, simply earlier than cooking.
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Let extra batter drip off by holding the prawns for a couple of seconds earlier than transferring them to the new oil.
2. Double-fry – the key for ultra-crispy!
Quick changing into the worst-kept frying secret, a fast double-fry is THE final secret to ultra-crispy and much less greasy fried meals (extra examples: Honey Chicken, Candy and Bitter Pork, my mom’s Chicken Karaage). It additionally solves the inherent issues of batch-frying the place the primary batches cool earlier than the final scorching batch is completed. Why? As a result of in contrast to the primary fry of the double-fry, in the course of the second fry you may crowd the pot, that means the prawns get reheated in a single or at most, two fast batches.
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Fry #1 (3 minutes) – Fry the prawns for 3 minutes at 160°C/320°F till LIGHT golden. This steps is to prepare dinner the batter and prawns. On the finish of the three minutes, the coating can be pale however crispy, nevertheless it would soften because it cools. That is regular and we’ll correctly crisp it shortly!
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COOL prawns earlier than second fry – One other key tip to make crispiness-that-lasts! I have no idea the science behind this, however I’ve discovered that second-frying chilly prawns is each crispier AND stays crispy for longer than second-frying prawns which can be nonetheless scorching kind the primary fry.
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Fry #2 (3 minutes) – Fry the prawns for 3 minutes at 200°C/390°F or till they’re a deep golden brown. Color is the important thing indicator right here. If the prawns are usually not golden sufficient, then the crispy coating will soften sooner because it cools. They’ll nonetheless be crispy lengthy sufficient to coat in sauce, serve and eat. However in the direction of the top of the meal you’ll find they won’t be totally crispy all the way in which round.
Then again, golden brown prawns will keep crispy for HOURS. As in, lengthy after they’re chilly, they’re nonetheless super-crunchy. It’s insane!
That is the goal golden color you might be aiming for:
And right here’s a comparability of the prawns after Fry #1 and Fry #2:
Bonus: Doing the short Fry #2 simply earlier than serving the place you may crowd the pot (ie all of the prawns are cooked in 2 batches) means the prawns are served piping scorching, freshly cooked.
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Drain on paper towels to soak up extra oil. Now it’s time to coat in that wickedly good Honey Sauce!
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Honey Sauce – In actuality, we’ll make the Honey Sauce earlier than we do Fry #2. Simply plonk elements in a pot and simmer to make a reasonably thick syrup with minimal water content material, so it gained’t make our prawns soggy.
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Pour the Honey Sauce over the prawns in a bowl.
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Toss shortly to coat the prawns within the Honey Sauce. You wish to be fast right here, not as a result of the prawns will go soggy (they gained’t!) however as a result of the honey sauce will thicken because it cools which makes it tougher to coat the prawns correctly.
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Serve! For an genuine Chinese language restaurant expertise, pile the prawns on a mattress of fried rice vermicelli noodles. To make the noodles, you actually simply drop a wad of dried rice vermicelli noodles within the scorching oil and it’ll broaden right into a mass of foam-like crispy noodles inside seconds!
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and inexperienced onion, if desired. Take to the desk and watch them disappear in seconds!
I discover that Honey Prawns are a bit too candy to have as the one important dish. So sometimes, I serve with with one other savoury and salty aspect dish, plus fried rice and greens or a salad. Listed below are some solutions:
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Char Siu Pork – Chinese language BBQ Pork for the second important. Or attempt the chicken model!
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A stir fry or stir fried noodles. Some favourites: Cashew Chicken, Honey Pepper Beef, Mongolian Lamb, or Chow Mein!
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Fried Rice – Traditional Chinese language restaurant-style. Or attempt the emergency Baked Fried Rice!
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Facet salad suggestion – Chinese language greens with Oyster Sauce, Ginger Smashed Cucumbers, a contemporary Asian Salad or Asian Slaw.
If you happen to put collectively your individual Chinese language restaurant banquet, inform me what you make! I like getting menu inspiration from readers! – Johnsat x
Ingredients
- 300g/ 10oz prawns/shrimp , peeled with tail on (600g/1.2lb whole unpeeled) (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp kosher/cooking salt (halve for table salt)
- 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch
- 9 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch (Note 2)
- 6 tbsp flour , plain/all-purpose
- 1/2 tsp baking powder (NOT baking soda)
- 1/2 tsp salt , kosher/cooking (halve for table salt)
- 2/3 cup + 1 tbsp COLD soda water, club soda or seltzer water (NOT sparkling mineral water, Note 3)
- 3 – 4 cups vegetable or canola oil (~4cm / 1.5" depth in a pot)
- 1/3 cup (100g) honey
- 1.5 tbsp (25g) glucose OR corn syrup (light) (Note 4)
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce (or all-purpose)
- 2 tsp Chinese cooking wine (or mirin)
- 25g / 2 oz Vermicelli rice noodles (optional) , a wad of it (not mung bean noodles, it must be rice noodles)
- Sesame seeds, finely sliced green onions
Instructions
- Salt prawns: Mix prawns with salt. (Don't do this ahead, salt makes prawns sweat = compromise crispy coating!)
- Dust: Place 1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch in a bowl. Dip prawn in, shake off excess then put on a plate. Repeat with all prawns.
- Chill dry ingredients: Whisk together flour, cornflour/cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Place in fridge while oil heats up. (Helps keep batter cold, cold batter = crispier prawns)
- Heat oil: Fill small pot or large saucepan with 4cm / 1.7" oil. Heat to 160°C/320°F on medium high stove.
- Make cold batter: When the oil is near target temp, add soda water into the dry ingredients. Then do the minimum whisks to just combine (10 or so) – a few lumps ok, better than whisking too much (changes coating texture).
- Batter thickness: Should fully coat prawns easily, not be see-through, but not thick and heavy. See video at 38 seconds for cues. Use extra soda water 1 teaspoon at a time to achieve right thickness.
- Dredge: Holding a prawn by the tail, dip into the batter then hold up for a 2 seconds to let the excess batter drip off. Then carefully place in oil. Repeat with another 5 prawns (6 per batch).
- 3 minutes Fry #1: Cook for 3 minutes until light golden and crispy. When you pick them up, you can tell it's very crispy.
- Drain and repeat: Place prawns on a tray with paper towels. Repeat with remaining prawns. I cook in 4 batches. Don't crowd the pot as it brings oil temperature down too much.
- Cool prawns for 20 minutes (Note 5). Meanwhile, make Sauce.
- Simmer: Place ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer, turn down stove to medium low then leave to simmer for 3 minutes.
- Syrupy consistency: The consistency should be like maple syrup (see video). Turn off stove, place lid on to keep warm (when cool, it gets too thick to toss prawns in it).
- Heat oil to 200°C/390°F.
- 3 minutes Fry #2: Place half the prawns in oil (you can crowd the pot for Fry #2). Cook for 3 minutes or until it changes from pale golden to very golden, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate. You can tell by touching that it's built-to-last crispy! More golden = crispier (but don't overcook the prawns!) Repeat with remaining prawns.
- Quickly toss: Transfer prawns to a metal bowl then pour over Honey Sauce. Quickly toss with rubber spatula to coat prawns in sauce. (Sauce starts thickening if you take too long, so be quick!)
- Garnish: Pile prawns over crispy rice noodles (if using), scatter with sesame seeds, green onion and serve!
- At any point while oil is hot, drop a wad of noodles into hot oil, wait 3 seconds until it puffs up, then remove with tongs.
- Drain on paper towels, place on plate. Top with prawns! (Note: Crispy noodles stays crispy "forever" so you can do this well ahead. Not for eating – is flavourless.)
Notes
1. Prawns / shrimp – Raw prawns with tail on are best, medium to large in size. 300g (10oz) of peeled raw shrimp with tails is about 600g (20oz) unpeeled shrimp, about 17 prawns that are 17g each peeled (0.6oz), 34g whole (1.2oz).
Frozen – You can also use jumbo / large frozen raw shrimp, thawed. These tend to leach lots of water when defrosted, so ensure you drain all the liquid off and dry them very well.
2. Cornflour and cornstarch are the same thing. Called cornstarch in the US and Canada, and cornflour in most of the rest of the world.
3. Cold soda water, club soda, or seltzer water – It must be fridge cold to ensure crispy coating. Needs to be man-made fizziness to help with the puffiness. Do not use sparkling mineral water (ie naturally fizzy) – it’s not as strong. It works but not as crispy.
BEST SUB: Ice cold water. Crispiness not as strong so doesn’t last as long once sauced, but still excellent if consumed within 20 minutes.
4. Glucose or corn syrup (light) – The key to making the honey sauce “toffee-like” so it coats and semi-sets ON the crispy crust rather than soaking INTO it and making it soggy. Both work just as well.
Find glucose in the baking aisle. Corn syrup is not widely available in Australia – I order it online. Substitute with honey (it does work for crispiness retention, glucose/corn syrup is an extra insurance policy!)
5. Let prawns cool after first fry = crispier crust once double fried. I don’t know the exact science, I presume it’s like cold batter = crispier prawns! It is still very crispy if fried the second time straight away however.
6. Double fry – Makes the coating ultra crisp AND less greasy, and deepens from pale gold colour to golden. Also means all prawns are piping hot when tossed in sauce.
Can skip – if so, do Fry 1 for 4 minutes until golden. Keep cooked prawns warm in 75°C/165°F oven on rack.
7. Air fryer / baking – baking definitely won’t work for this batter. I doubt air fryer would work either because you need instant high heat to solidify the batter, otherwise it will run everywhere.
I will share best baked alternative one day 🙂
8. SWEETNESS – Honey Prawns IS very sweet. That’s why all kids go mad over it! But the quantity of the sauce in the recipe is such that there is only a thin coating on each piece of prawns.
We can’t detect anything in the sauce at restaurants other than honey and a bit of seasoning, eg nothing sour to balance out the sweet. So I’ve stuck with restaurant versions so your kids won’t be disappointed. 😂 (PS I am a savoury rather than sweet girl, and I am mad for this Honey Prawns!)
SAVOURY TOUCH: For those who really want less sweet, add 2 tbsp cider vinegar and simmer for an extra 1 minute, and also maybe a dash of hot sauce or sriracha. It will not taste like restaurant versions, but will seem less sweet.
Please do NOT start adding things like ketchup and other things you see in other recipes as it will put the crispiness of the prawns at risk – the sauce as written almost “sets” on the surface of the crust, rather than soaking in.
9. Make ahead – the ultimate way to make ahead which is 90% perfect:
Double fry the prawns. Fully cool. Reheat in 180°C/350°F oven for 5 – 7 minutes. just to heat prawns through and make the coating crispy again.
Reheat Honey Sauce so it’s runny. Toss with prawns, serve!
Reheating prawns with sauce already on it – it’s got crunchy bits when cold, but as soon as you reheat it (oven or microwave), it goes soggy. No way around it I’m afraid!
10. Reuse oil – Oil used to fry any seafood takes on a bit of a seafood flavour, albeit fairly mild in this instance. I would only re-use the oil to make other seafood things, such as Beer Battered Fish or Coconut Prawns.
Cool oil in pot, line mesh colander with paper towel, strain oil. Store until required – personally would stick to savoury rather than sweet.
11. An original creation by Team RTE, drawing on many lessons learned during the creation of the Built-To-Last Honey Chicken!
12. Nutrition – impossible for this one, I’m afraid! Let’s just say it’s got more calories than a lettuce leaf. 🙂
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