Kung Pao Prawns are insanely delicious and irresistibly sticky. Whip them up with some colourful capsicum, sprinkle over peanuts and there you have it.
You could add any number of vegetables to this dish, for example broccoli, bok choi, asparagus, zucchini; the possibilities are endless.
If you, like me, love sticky dishes, you have to try our Sticky Mongolian Lamb, or our delectable Banh Mi.
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Kung Pao Prawns Ingredients
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Fresh ginger
- Red capsicum
- Yellow capsicum
- Green capsicum
- Roasted peanuts
- Coriander
- Brown sugar
- Chilli flakes (opt.)
- Dark soy
- Light soy
- Hoisin sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame oil
- Raw prawn cutlets (peeled)
- Rice flour
- Vegetable oil
- Microwave rice
- Salt and pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Kung Pao Prawns
1. Peel and mince garlic. Peel and finely slice shallots. Peel and finely slice ginger into matchsticks. Dice capsicum into 2 cm pieces. Roughly chop peanuts. Roughly chop coriander.
Option to portion out capsicum to your child’s plate now if you think they would prefer it plain.
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 3 cm fresh ginger
- 1 red capsicum
- 1 yellow capsicum
- 1 green capsicum
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- ⅓ bunch of coriander
2. Make the sauce by combining sugar, dark soy, light soy, water, hoisin, rice vinegar and sesame oil.
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon dark soy
- 1 tablespoon light soy
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
3. Add prawns to a bowl with rice flour, salt and pepper. Mix to coat.
- 500g raw prawn cutlets (peeled)
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- Salt and pepper
4. Place a pan over high heat and add vegetable oil. Add your prawns in a single layer (they may stick together because of the flour so add them one or two at a time) and cook for 1 minute each side, or until just crispy and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.
TIP: You might have to do this in batches.
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
5. Add a little more oil, garlic, shallots, ginger (opt. - this might be too spicy for little ones) and capsicum to the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes or so, until fragrant and soft.
Option to portion out vegetables and prawns onto your child’s plate now if you think they would prefer them without the sauce.
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 3 cm fresh ginger (opt.)
- 1 red capsicum
- 1 yellow capsicum
- 1 green capsicum
6. Add sauce to the pan, and stir through to coat all the vegetables until it reduces to sticky. Meanwhile, heat rice in the microwave.
- 450g microwave rice
7. Return the prawns to the pan and toss to coat.
8. Serve Kung Pao Prawns on a bed of rice, with coriander leaves on the side and chopped peanuts.
For little ones, serve them rice and prawns separately, and skip the peanuts and the coriander.
If you skipped chilli flakes before you can add them to adult plates now if you wish.
- ⅓ bunch coriander
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes (opt.)
Substitutions
- Alternative proteins - Swap prawns for diced chicken, pork or beef, as you wish.
- Vegetarian - Use future chicken or tofu instead of prawns.
- Gluten Free - Swap soy for tamari and skip the dark soy.
- Dairy Free - This recipe is dairy free.
Kid-Friendly Variations
- Skip the chilli flakes.
- Option to skip the ginger if too strong.
- Option to serve raw capsicum to your child if they prefer it without sauce.
- Option to serve prawns just after being sauteed and before sauce.
- Skip the peanuts.
Equipment
You will need a frying pan, a stovetop, a microwave.
Top tip
Prawns are quite easy to overcook and don’t take long. Cook them for just a minute on each side, or until they are opaque. We’ll add them back into the pan and they’ll cook a little more then too.
Recipe
Kung Pao Prawns
Equipment
- Frying pan
- Stovetop
- Microwave
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 shallots
- 3 cm fresh ginger opt.
- 1 red capsicum
- 1 yellow capsicum
- 1 green capsicum
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- ⅓ bunch coriander
- 2 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes opt.
- 1 tablespoon dark soy
- 1 tablespoon light soy
- 2 tablespoon water
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 500 g raw prawn cutlets peeled
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- Vegetable oil 2 tbsp
- 450 g microwave rice
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Peel and mince garlic. Peel and finely slice shallots. Peel and finely slice ginger into matchsticks. Dice capsicum into 2 cm pieces. Roughly chop peanuts. Roughly chop coriander.Option to portion out capsicum to your child’s plate now if you think they would prefer it plain.2 cloves garlic, 2 shallots, 3 cm fresh ginger, 1 red capsicum, 1 yellow capsicum, 1 green capsicum, ¼ cup roasted peanuts, ⅓ bunch coriander
- Make the sauce by combining sugar, dark soy, light soy, water, hoisin, rice vinegar and sesame oil.2 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon dark soy, 1 tablespoon light soy, 2 tablespoon water, ¼ cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Add prawns to a bowl with rice flour, salt and pepper. Mix to coat.500 g raw prawn cutlets, 2 tablespoon rice flour, Salt and pepper
- Place a pan over high heat and add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add your prawns in a single layer (they may stick together because of the flour so add them one or two at a time) and cook for 1 minute each side, or until just crispy and cooked through. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel.TIP: You might have to do this in batches.Vegetable oil
- Add 2 teaspoons more oil, garlic, shallots, ginger (opt. - this might be too spicy for little ones) and capsicum to the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes or so, until fragrant and soft. Option to portion out vegetables and prawns onto your child’s plate now if you think they would prefer them without the sauce.2 cloves garlic, 2 shallots, 3 cm fresh ginger, 1 red capsicum, 1 yellow capsicum, Vegetable oil, 1 green capsicum
- Add sauce to the pan, and stir through to coat all the vegetables until it reduces to sticky. Meanwhile, heat rice in the microwave.450 g microwave rice
- Return the prawns to the pan and toss to coat.
- Serve Kung Pao Prawns on a bed of rice, with coriander leaves on the side and chopped peanuts.For little ones, serve them rice and prawns separately, and skip the peanuts and the coriander.If you skipped chilli flakes before you can add them to adult plates now if you wish.¼ cup roasted peanuts, ⅓ bunch coriander, ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
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