Ah, shrimp toast brings back fond memories of my childhood.
Growing up, I spent a lot of time poring over mum’s mountains of recipe books. One day, in a thick hardcover tome that was filled with mouthwatering illustrations – either Puriselera or Malaysian Cooking something – I came across this Hong Kong dim sum specialty called shrimp toast.
Those triangles of golden brown bread topped with a prawn filling and sesame seeds looked so pretty. But what really piqued my interest was how they were made.
You spread prawn paste on bread and then deep fry in a big pot of oil till golden brown. How come the prawn meat could cling on to the bread and didn’t fall off? What technical wizardry was this?
I know. Such a geek already at 10 yrs old 🤓
Years later, I found out why. When you add wet seasonings like sesame oil and egg white, the moisture makes the prawn paste sticky and it can then “glue” itself to the bread.
This dish takes a bit of effort but I promise you the reactions of your diners will make every drop of sweat worth it.
Watch my video on how to make shrimp toast
If you’re a shrimp lover, try this yummy side dish that only needs 3 ingredients!
***By the way, in my side of the world, shrimp and prawn is used interchangeably.
Dim Sum Style Shrimp Toast
Equipment
- wok
- Spatula or tongs
- Mixing bowl
- Cleaver or any heavy kitchen knife
Ingredients
- 200g shrimp, deveined and deshelled
- 6 slices sandwich bread
- 1/4 tsp sesame oil (double if you're a fan of sesame oil)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 2 tsp cornflour
- 1 egg white
- 1/2 inch ginger
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 stalk spring onion or coriander leaves, finely chopped
- Sesame seeds (untoasted is fine)
Instructions
- Roughly mince prawns into a rough paste. Transfer to a mixing bowl
- Finely grate ginger and garlic and add to prawn paste. Add sesame oil, salt, white pepper, cornflour and egg white. Add spring onion or coriander. Stir in one direction until well mixed.
- Spread prawn paste over a slice of sandwich bread.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and spread out evenly with a spoon. Now, cut bread into triangles (or squares, if you like!)
- Heat up a shallow layer of oil in wok.
- When wok is hot, place each triangle down carefully. You only need to fry 10-15 seconds as prawns cook very quickly, especially since the meat is already minced.
- Quickly flip over and fry other side of bread for a few seconds. Again, you don't need a long time. Monitor the heat and adjust as necessary to avoid burning.
- Remove from heat and serve with chilli sauce and mayo.
Notes
1. What is shrimp toast? Shrimp toast is a Hong Kong–style dim sum dish made from bread spread with prawn paste, coated with sesame seeds, and deep-fried until golden. 2. How does the prawn paste stick to the bread? Moisture is the secret. Ingredients like egg white, sesame oil, and seasonings make the paste sticky so it adheres firmly during frying. 3. What type of bread works best for shrimp toast? Use plain white sandwich bread. Slightly stale bread is ideal because it absorbs less oil and stays crisp. 4. Do I need a food processor to make the prawn paste? No. You can hand-chop the prawns into a paste, though a food processor makes the texture smoother and faster to achieve.b 5. How fine should I mince the paste? It should be smooth enough to spread easily but still have tiny bits of prawn for texture. Avoid blending it into a liquid. 6. How do I prevent shrimp toast from absorbing too much oil? Use medium-high heat (around 170–180°C), avoid overcrowding the pot, and drain the toasts on a rack instead of paper towels. 7. Can I air-fry shrimp toast instead of deep-frying? Yes. Brush the toasts lightly with oil and air-fry at 180°C for 8–10 minutes until crisp and golden. 8. How can I tell when shrimp toast is fully cooked? The bread should be golden brown, and the prawn paste should turn opaque and firm to the touch. 9. Can I prepare shrimp toast in advance? Yes. Assemble the toasts and freeze them uncooked. Fry directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cooking time. 10. What do I serve with shrimp toast? It pairs beautifully with sweet chilli sauce, mayo-sriracha dip, or a simple soy-vinegar dipping sauce.