Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Homemade Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe
• Essential Ingredients for Authentic Sesame Prawn Toast
• Customizing Your Sesame Prawn Toast: Substitutions and Variations
• Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Sesame Prawn Toasts
• Mastering the Fry: Expert Cooking Tips
• Making Open-Faced Sesame Prawn Toasts
• Frequently Asked Questions About Prawn Toast
• Serving Suggestions for Sesame Prawn Toast
• Other Asian-Inspired Recipes You Might Enjoy
• Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe Card

Essential Ingredients for Authentic Sesame Prawn Toast

For detailed measurements and the complete recipe, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this page.

For the Prawn Filling:

• Prawns (Shrimp): The star of the show! Opt for 360g of raw, shelled, and deveined king prawns for the best flavor and tender texture. Both fresh and defrosted frozen prawns are suitable, provided they are thoroughly dried. Using raw prawns is paramount to avoid a rubbery consistency in the final product.
• Garlic: 1 crushed garlic clove adds a pungent, aromatic depth that complements the prawns beautifully, infusing the filling with robust flavor.
• Caster Sugar: 1 teaspoon of caster sugar balances the savory notes and enhances the overall flavor profile of the filling, providing a subtle sweetness.
• Cornflour (Cornstarch): 1 teaspoon of cornflour is a crucial binding agent that helps the prawn mixture adhere together, ensuring a firm yet tender filling that doesn’t crumble during frying.
• Sesame Oil: 1 teaspoon of sesame oil contributes a distinctive nutty and deeply aromatic fragrance, instantly recognizable as a staple in Chinese cuisine.
• Large Egg White: From 1 large egg, the egg white acts as an additional binder for the prawn paste, helping it achieve a smooth, consistent texture and preventing it from drying out.
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning and bringing out the natural flavors of the prawns and other ingredients. Season to your personal preference.

For the Toasts and Frying:

• White Bread: 8 slices of medium-sliced white bread (approximately 1 cm thick) works best. You don’t need anything gourmet; a standard plain white loaf is perfectly adequate and will yield that classic soft-interior, crispy-exterior combination. Ensure crusts are removed.
• Large Egg (plus 1 egg yolk): 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, whisked together, are used to create an egg wash. This wash helps the sesame seeds adhere firmly to the bread and contributes to a beautiful golden-brown, crispy crust.
• Sesame Seeds: 100-150g of sesame seeds are the quintessential coating! You can use white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, or a vibrant mix of both for visual appeal. These provide the characteristic nutty flavor and satisfying crunch that defines sesame prawn toast.
• Vegetable Oil for Frying: Use a generous amount of neutral-flavored oil with a high smoke point, such as rapeseed (canola) oil or sunflower oil. This ensures the toasts fry evenly without imparting unwanted flavors, resulting in a clean, crisp finish.

For the Green Sauce (Optional, but highly recommended for a fresh counterpoint):

• Ripe Avocado: ½ large ripe avocado provides a creamy base and a subtle, earthy flavor to the sauce.
• Full-Fat Greek Yogurt: 2 heaped tablespoons of full-fat Greek yogurt adds tanginess and helps create a smooth, rich consistency.
• Lime Juice: The juice of ½ lime brightens the sauce with a zesty, fresh lift, cutting through the richness of the fried toast.
• Fresh Coriander (Cilantro) & Basil: 1 small handful of each herb is essential for that vibrant green color and a burst of fresh, aromatic herbaceousness.
• Red Chilli: ¼ red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped, for a touch of heat; adjust to your preference.
• Garlic Clove: 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped, adds a foundational layer of savory flavor.
• Fish Sauce: 2 teaspoons of fish sauce provides umami depth and a hint of savory complexity, enhancing the overall flavor.
• Water: About 2 tablespoons of water are used to achieve the desired sauce consistency – add more or less as needed.
• Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper: To season the sauce to perfection.

Customizing Your Sesame Prawn Toast: Substitutions and Variations

One of the joys of cooking is the freedom to adapt recipes to your taste and what you have on hand. This sesame prawn toast recipe is incredibly flexible, allowing for numerous delicious variations that cater to different preferences and dietary needs:

Alternative Proteins for Your Toast:

• Chicken Toast: If prawns aren’t your preference or you’re looking for an alternative, finely minced chicken (from chicken breasts or thighs) works exceptionally well. Use the same weight as the prawns and follow the recipe steps precisely. This is a brilliant tip often shared by culinary experts like Nadiya Hussain (who has discussed such versatile adaptations on her Desert Island Dishes episode and Dream Dinner Party episode), proving that the technique translates beautifully to other proteins.
• Fish Toast: Consider using firm white fish, such as cod or pollock, finely chopped or blitzed, for a seafood alternative. Ensure it’s very fresh and pat dry thoroughly to prevent a watery filling.
• Vegetarian Options: For a vegetarian twist, consider finely chopping or blitzing firm tofu or mushrooms with a flavorful blend of aromatics and spices. While not traditional, it can offer a satisfying crunch.

Enhance the Flavor Profile of the Filling:

• Fresh Herbs: Elevate the filling with roughly chopped fresh herbs like more coriander (cilantro) or flat-leaf parsley. Their bright, earthy notes provide a wonderful contrast to the richness of the prawns and frying. Finely sliced spring onions (scallions) are also a fantastic addition, offering a mild oniony crunch and a pop of color, working well as both an ingredient and a garnish.
• Aromatic Spices & Heat: For those who love a bit of heat, a pinch of dried chili flakes or a finely grated fresh ginger can add a warm, spicy kick. A small amount of ginger paste also works wonderfully for an easy flavor boost. Experiment with a dash of white pepper for an authentic Chinese culinary touch, or a touch of five-spice powder for complexity.
• Citrus Zest: A tiny bit of lime or lemon zest can add a fragrant, bright note to the prawn mixture.

Creative Bread Alternatives:

• Wholemeal or Brown Bread: For a slightly healthier or heartier option, swap out the white bread for wholemeal or brown bread. The robust flavor of the wholemeal bread adds a different dimension to the toast and a denser texture.
• Unique Bases: Don’t limit yourself to traditional sandwich bread slices! Explore using small bao buns cut open, or even hot dog rolls sliced lengthwise for a truly unique and playful take on prawn toast. These alternatives can offer interesting textures and presentations, perfect for a modern twist.
• Gluten-Free Bread: For those with dietary restrictions, gluten-free sandwich bread can be used. Ensure it’s sturdy enough to hold the filling and stands up to frying.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Sesame Prawn Toasts

Follow these clear, step-by-step instructions for perfect sesame prawn toasts every time. For the full recipe with precise measurements, please refer to the recipe card below.

ONE: Begin by preparing your prawns. If using frozen, ensure they are fully defrosted. Pat them thoroughly dry with kitchen paper – this step is crucial to prevent a watery filling that could make your toast soggy. Then, finely chop the prawns by hand using a sharp knife, or use a food processor to blitz them until they achieve an almost paste-like consistency. Avoid over-blitzing, as you want a texture that still has some integrity and chew, not a completely smooth purée.

TWO: Transfer the prepared prawn paste into a large mixing bowl. Add the crushed garlic, caster sugar, cornflour (cornstarch), fragrant sesame oil, and the egg white. These ingredients are vital not only for binding the mixture together but also for infusing it with the classic, savory-sweet flavors characteristic of Chinese cuisine.

THREE: Generously season the prawn mixture with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly with a spoon or your hands until they are well combined and form a cohesive, slightly sticky paste. Ensure there are no dry pockets, as a well-mixed filling ensures consistent flavor and texture in every bite of your sesame prawn toast.

FOUR: Prepare your bread slices for assembly. For a cleaner presentation and a more uniformly tender toast without hard edges, slice off all the crusts from the white bread. A practical and time-saving tip is to stack several slices together (e.g., four slices) and trim all four sides of the crusts in one efficient go.

FIVE: Lay one piece of crustless white bread on a clean chopping board. Take approximately a quarter of the prawn mixture and spread it evenly over the entire surface of the bread slice, almost to the edges. Then, carefully top this with another slice of bread. Gently but firmly press down to create a compact sandwich, ensuring the prawn filling adheres well to both slices. Repeat this process with the remaining bread and prawn mixture until you have four complete prawn toast sandwiches.

SIX: Prepare two shallow bowls: one with the whisked egg mixture (the large egg plus egg yolk for a rich egg wash) and another with the sesame seeds (use a mix of black and white for visual appeal if desired). Take each prawn toast sandwich, one at a time, and dunk it into the egg mixture, ensuring both sides are fully coated. Immediately transfer it to the sesame seed bowl and coat it evenly, pressing gently to make sure the seeds adhere well all over. This dual coating creates the signature crispy, nutty exterior of the sesame prawn toast. A useful tip is to use one hand for the “wet” (egg) and one hand for the “dry” (sesame seeds) to keep your hands clean and avoid clumping.

SEVEN: Heat your vegetable oil in a large, deep frying pan or a wok over a medium-high flame. You’ll need enough oil to come about 2-3 cm up the sides of the pan to allow for proper frying. The oil is ready when it’s shimmering hot, but not smoking (ideally around 180°C or 350°F). You can test the temperature by dropping a tiny piece of bread into the oil; if it sizzles immediately and floats to the surface, it’s ready. Carefully add about two of the prawn toast sandwiches to the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding will significantly drop the oil temperature, leading to greasy, soggy toast. Fry for 1-2 minutes until golden brown, then use a spatula to gently flip them over. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until both sides are beautifully golden brown and crispy, and the prawn filling is thoroughly cooked through. Remove them from the pan and place on a baking sheet lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.

EIGHT: Once all the sesame prawn toasts are fried, allow them to cool for just a minute or two before handling. Slice each sandwich in half diagonally to create eight appealing triangles. If you prefer smaller bites for canapés, you can cut them into 16 smaller pieces. Arrange them artfully on a serving plate. If using, drizzle generously with the optional vibrant green sauce and garnish with delicate shallot rings and a sprinkle of freshly chopped coriander, parsley, or chives. Serve immediately and enjoy the crispy, flavorful perfection of your homemade sesame prawn toast!

Mastering the Fry: Expert Cooking Tips for Perfect Sesame Prawn Toast

Achieving restaurant-quality sesame prawn toast at home is all about a few key techniques. Keep these expert tips in mind for the crispiest, most flavorful results every time:

• Properly Defrosting and Drying Prawns is Paramount: If you’re using frozen prawns, it’s absolutely essential to defrost them correctly and thoroughly. The best method is to transfer them to the fridge overnight. If you’re pressed for time, place the frozen prawns into a large bowl and cover them with cold water. They will defrost in about 10-15 minutes, but remember to change the water a few times as it gets cold, to maintain an efficient thawing temperature. Once fully defrosted, always pat them extremely dry with kitchen paper. Excess moisture in the prawns will lead to a watery filling, prevent the toast from crisping up properly, and can cause oil splatters during frying.
• Oil Temperature is the Ultimate Key: The temperature of your frying oil is paramount for success. It should be hot enough (around 180°C / 350°F) to instantly crisp the bread and cook the prawns, but not so hot that it burns the sesame seeds or leaves the inside raw. Test the oil by dropping a small piece of bread crust: it should sizzle immediately, turn golden, and float to the surface. If the oil is too cool, your sesame prawn toasts will absorb too much oil and become greasy and soggy. If it’s too hot, the exterior will burn before the prawns are cooked through, and the delicate sesame seeds can turn bitter and unpleasant.
• Fry in Batches to Avoid Overcrowding: This is a golden rule for all deep-frying and is particularly important for delicate items like sesame prawn toast. Resist the urge to cram all your prawn toast sandwiches into the pan at once. Overcrowding significantly drops the oil’s temperature, leading to greasy, less crispy results and uneven cooking. Instead, fry in small batches (typically 2-3 sandwiches at a time, depending on your pan size and toast dimensions). Allow the oil to return to temperature between batches for consistent and perfectly crisp frying. Use common sense based on your equipment.
• Safely Handle Leftover Sesame Seeds: After coating your sesame prawn toast, you will invariably have some sesame seeds left in the bowl that have come into contact with raw egg. For strict food safety reasons, these leftover sesame seeds should always be discarded and never reused or stored. It’s a small sacrifice for peace of mind.
• Achieving the Perfect Prawn Paste Texture: When chopping or blitzing the prawns, aim for a texture that’s mostly paste-like but still retains a slight chew or small discernible chunks of prawn. This balance adds to the overall texture and mouthfeel of the finished toast. Over-processing can result in a rubbery or tough filling once cooked, while too chunky a texture might not bind well.
• Choosing the Right Bread: While a plain medium-sliced white loaf is recommended, ensure it’s not overly soft or thin, as it needs to hold the filling and stand up to frying without disintegrating. Day-old bread can sometimes work better as it’s slightly drier and absorbs less oil.

Making Open-Faced Sesame Prawn Toasts

While the sandwich-style sesame prawn toast is incredibly popular and gives a delightful contrast of textures, you can also opt for a more traditional open-faced approach. This style is often seen in authentic Chinese restaurants and dim sum establishments, offering a different presentation and sometimes resulting in an even crispier base, as the prawn mixture is directly exposed to the heat of the oil.

To create open-faced sesame prawn toast, simply follow the initial steps for preparing the prawn filling and the bread (including removing the crusts). However, instead of creating a sandwich with two slices of bread, you will spread the prawn mixture thickly and evenly onto just one side of each crustless bread slice. In this method, you generally don’t need to dip the bread into the beaten egg wash first, as the sticky prawn filling itself will act as a sufficient adhesive for the sesame seeds. Once the prawn mixture is spread, gently press the filling-side of the bread directly into a plate of sesame seeds, ensuring a generous and uniform coating across the prawn mixture.

Then, carefully fry the open-faced toasts with the prawn-and-sesame-coated side facing down first. Cook for a minute or two to allow the prawn topping to crisp up and the seeds to toast. Then, flip and fry the plain bread side until it turns golden and crispy, and the prawn filling is fully cooked through and firm. This style allows the prawn topping to achieve a beautiful golden-brown color and a satisfying crispness directly from the oil. These can be cut into smaller triangles before or after frying, making them perfect canapés for parties or a more elegant starter (refer to the FAQs for make-ahead tips to ensure they’re fresh when guests arrive).

Sesame Prawn Toast Recipe Card

Crispy Homemade Sesame Prawn Toast

By: Margie Nomura

These homemade sesame prawn toasts are incredibly easy to prepare and consistently receive rave reviews. Who can resist the delightful combination of juicy prawns sandwiched between soft white bread, coated in nutty sesame seeds, and deep-fried to a glorious golden crispness?

Prep Time:

15 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Yields:

8 large toasts or 16 smaller canapés

Ingredients

For the Prawn Filling:

• 360 g raw prawns, shelled and deveined (fresh or defrosted)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 large egg white
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Toasts:

• 8 slices medium white bread, crusts removed
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk (whisked for egg wash)
• 100-150 g sesame seeds (a mix of black and white is appealing)
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying (e.g., rapeseed/canola or sunflower)

For the Green Sauce (Optional):

• ½ large ripe avocado
• 2 heaped tbsp full-fat Greek yogurt
• Juice of ½ lime, or to taste
• 1 small handful of fresh coriander (cilantro)
• 1 small handful of fresh basil
• ¼ red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped (or to taste)
• 1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• About 2 tbsp water (to adjust consistency)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To Serve:

• Shallot rings
• Freshly chopped coriander, parsley, and/or chives
• Sweet chilli sauce or sriracha yogurt/mayonnaise (optional, for dipping)
• Lime wedges (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Prawn Filling: If using frozen prawns, ensure they are fully defrosted and patted very dry with kitchen paper. Finely chop the prawns by hand or blitz them in a food processor until they form an almost paste-like consistency with a little texture remaining.
2. Transfer the prawn paste to a large mixing bowl. Add the crushed garlic, caster sugar, cornflour, sesame oil, and egg white. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix everything together thoroughly until well combined and cohesive.
3. Assemble the Prawn Toasts: Remove the crusts from all 8 slices of white bread. Lay one piece of crustless bread on a clean board. Spread approximately one-quarter of the prawn mixture evenly over this slice. Top with another piece of bread and gently but firmly press down to create a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining bread and prawn mixture to make 4 sandwiches in total.
4. In a shallow bowl wide enough for dipping, whisk together the large egg and egg yolk to create an egg wash. In a separate shallow bowl, spread out the sesame seeds.
5. Take one prawn toast sandwich at a time. Dunk it into the whisked egg mixture, turning to coat both sides completely. Then, immediately transfer it to the sesame seed bowl and coat both sides evenly, pressing gently to ensure a good, firm adhesion of the seeds. Aim to use one hand for the “wet” (egg) and one for the “dry” (sesame seeds) to keep things tidy. Repeat for all sandwiches.
6. Fry the Sesame Prawn Toast: Line a large baking sheet with kitchen paper and set it aside for draining. Pour enough vegetable oil into a large, deep frying pan to reach a depth of 2-3 cm. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it is shimmering hot but not smoking (ideally 180°C / 350°F). Test the oil temperature with a small piece of bread crust – it should sizzle and float immediately.
7. Prepare the Green Sauce (if using): While the oil heats, combine all the green sauce ingredients (avocado, Greek yogurt, lime juice, coriander, basil, red chilli, garlic, fish sauce, water, salt, and pepper) in a blender or mini food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more chilli for spice, lime for tartness, or water to reach your desired consistency. Pour into a small serving bowl.
8. Once the oil is at the correct temperature, carefully add about two of the prepared sesame prawn toast sandwiches to the pan. Avoid overcrowding, as this will drop the oil temperature and result in greasy toasts. Fry for 1-2 minutes per side. Using a spatula, gently flip the toasts and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until both sides are golden brown and crispy, and the prawn filling is thoroughly cooked through. Remove from the pan and place onto the prepared baking sheet to drain any excess oil. Repeat this process with the remaining sandwiches.
9. Serve: Once all toasts are fried, slice each sandwich diagonally in half to create 8 triangles (or cut into 16 smaller canapés if preferred). Arrange them on a serving plate. Drizzle with the optional green sauce and garnish with fresh shallot rings and chopped coriander, parsley, or chives. Serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce or a spicy sriracha yogurt/mayonnaise on the side for dipping, if desired.

Recipe Notes

Storing Leftovers: Cool any leftover sesame prawn toasts quickly and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Reheating: To reheat, place on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper and bake at 200°C (180°C Fan / 400°F) for 8-10 minutes, or until crispy and piping hot throughout. Alternatively, reheat in an air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 5-8 minutes.

Freezing: Cooked sesame prawn toasts can be frozen for up to 3 months. Cool completely, then store in freezer-safe containers or bags. Thaw fully in the fridge before reheating as instructed above.

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the prawn filling a few hours in advance and keep it chilled in the fridge. Assemble and fry the toasts just before serving for the freshest taste and crispiest texture.

Flavor Customization: Feel free to personalize the prawn filling by adding more garlic, grated ginger, a pinch of dried chili flakes, or finely chopped spring onions/fresh herbs for extra zing.

Nutrition Information

Calories:

189 kcal

Carbohydrates:

17 g

Protein:

12 g

Fat:

9 g

Saturated Fat:

1 g

Polyunsaturated Fat:

4 g

Monounsaturated Fat:

3 g

Trans Fat:

0.01 g

Cholesterol:

77 mg

Sodium:

389 mg

Potassium:

154 mg

Fiber:

2 g

Sugar:

2 g

Vitamin A:

112 IU

Vitamin C:

0.1 mg

Calcium:

203 mg

Iron:

3 mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

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