Prawn toast is easily one of the most common Chinese takeaway side dishes – but James Martin shares how you can replicate the dish at home
If you’re looking for a starter that combines flavour, and a touch of sophistication, then James Martin’s crispy prawn toast is the dish to impress your guests. The popular TV chef, known for his down-to-earth cooking style and love of bold flavours, has created a recipe that’s a total crowd-pleaser. A golden, crispy prawn toast topped with fresh crab salad and paired with a zesty cucumber salad – what’s not to love?
Prawn toast has been a favourite in Chinese restaurants for years, but James Martin takes it to the next level. The juicy prawns are blended into a smooth paste and spread generously on slices of bread, then fried to crispy perfection.
This is the kind of dish that looks impressive but is surprisingly easy to make. So, whether you’re hosting a dinner party or just want something a little special, James Martin’s prawn toast is sure to wow your guests and have them coming back for more. Here’s how you can recreate this delicious dish at home.
Ingredients
For the prawn toast:
1kg prawns, peeled and deveined
100g egg whites
1 garlic clove, grated
Zest of 1 lemon
100g prawn mix (made from the above ingredients)
4 slices white bread (milk loaf recommended)
15g light soy sauce
5g fish sauce
3g garlic powder
5g sesame oil
For the crab salad:
200g picked white crab meat
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Zest of 1 lemon
For the Cucumber Salad:
1 cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and sliced into rounds
2 spring onions, chopped
1 red chilli, chopped
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp fish sauce
Garnish:
Edible flowers
Micro coriander leaves
Sliced plums
Method:
Start by placing the prawns, egg whites, garlic, and lemon zest into a food processor. Blend the mixture until smooth and transfer to a bowl. Once combined, measure out the prawn mix according to your needs, then stir in the soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic powder, and sesame oil. Fold everything together thoroughly.
For the toast, spread the prawn mixture evenly over each slice of bread, ensuring the mixture is about 0.5cm thick. Flip each slice onto a tray of sesame seeds, pressing gently to ensure the seeds stick.
Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer, then fry each piece of prawn toast for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels and slice as desired.
In a bowl, combine the picked crab meat with olive oil, a pinch of salt, and lemon zest. Stir gently to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, and fish sauce. Toss the cucumber rounds, spring onions, red chilli, and coriander leaves in the dressing.
Top each piece of prawn toast with a spoonful of crab salad. Garnish with edible flowers, micro coriander, and sliced plums. Serve alongside the refreshing cucumber salad for a complete dish.
This prawn toast with crab salad and cucumber salad is an unforgettable dish, packed with layers of flavour and texture that will have everyone coming back for more.
This recipe was originally shared on the James Martin website.