Pan-Frying Cooked Prawns: Is It Possible?

can you pan fry cooked prawns

Pan-frying is one of the quickest and easiest ways to cook prawns. It is a versatile method that can be used to cook prawns with or without their shells, and can be adapted to suit various recipes and flavour combinations. For example, garlic butter prawns, chilli prawns, and prawns with soy sauce are all popular dishes that can be made by pan-frying. This technique is also suitable for cooking prawns as part of a larger dish, such as a stir-fry or pasta.

Characteristics Values
Ease of cooking Pan-frying prawns is a quick and easy process
Taste Pan-fried prawns are tasty and flavourful
Variety Prawns can be pan-fried with or without the shell, with various ingredients like garlic, butter, lemon juice, chilli, and soy sauce
Tools A large frying pan, rubber-tipped tongs, and a citrus juicer are recommended
Prawn type Tiger prawns and king prawns are commonly used
Preparation Prawns should be deveined and rinsed before cooking

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Pan-frying cooked prawns with garlic butter

To begin, gather your ingredients: cooked prawns, butter, garlic, lemon, and some optional chilli sauce for added heat. You will also need a sharp knife, a cutting board, a large frying pan, rubber-tipped tongs, and a citrus juicer if you want to avoid seeds in your dish.

For the best results, use fresh prawns instead of frozen ones, and opt for those with shells on for added flavour and protection during cooking. Tiger prawns or king prawns are ideal for this dish due to their size. Deveining the prawns is a crucial step to ensure they are clean and safe to eat. Use a sharp knife to cut along the back of the prawn, exposing the intestinal tract, and then remove the vein with the knife's tip. Rinse the prawns and pat them dry with paper towels.

Now, prepare your garlic butter sauce. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add some olive oil to prevent the butter from burning at high heat. Generously grind salt into the pan. Next, add garlic to the pan, stirring for about 30 seconds to avoid burning. At this point, you can add some white wine to enhance the flavour—dry white wine is recommended, but any wine will work. Stir the mixture, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine evaporates.

Finally, add the cooked prawns to the pan. Squeeze some lemon juice over the prawns, and toss them in the garlic butter sauce until they are coated evenly. Serve the prawns with the garlic butter sauce on a plate with some lemon wedges on the side. Enjoy your juicy and flavourful pan-fried garlic butter prawns!

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Pan-frying cooked prawns with soy sauce

Yes, you can pan-fry cooked prawns. In fact, pan-frying is one of the quickest and easiest ways of cooking prawns. Here is a simple recipe for pan-frying cooked prawns with soy sauce.

Ingredients

  • 500g fresh large prawns
  • 1 to 2 generous stalks spring onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
  • 4 or 5 thin slices ginger
  • 1 tbsp good quality light soya sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (e.g. Shaoxing wine, Shao Hsing Hua Tiao Chiew)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp sesame oil

Method

  • Devein the prawns. With a sharp knife, score down the back of the prawns. Remove the thin, digestive tract with the tip of the knife. Repeat with the rest of the prawns. Rinse the prawns under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  • Make a marinade with the salt, sesame oil, and Chinese cooking wine. Marinate the prawns with the spring onions and ginger.
  • Heat up 2 teaspoons of oil in a skillet. Pick out the ginger and spring onions that were marinated with the prawns. Briefly fry them first until aromatic, then throw in the prawns and the rest of the marinade liquid.
  • Stir-fry on medium-high heat for about 1 minute. The shells will turn orange and any liquids will cook off quite quickly.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine and continue frying for another minute or so.
  • When there are no more liquids left, drizzle 1 tablespoon of soy sauce over the prawns and add the remaining spring onions (the green parts). Give everything a quick stir-fry before serving.

Tips

  • Use the freshest prawns you can find.
  • Most Asian prawn recipes prefer light rather than dark soy sauce because the colour of dark soy sauce will overshadow the bright, natural colour of the prawns. However, if you want more colour, you can add a dash of dark soy sauce.
  • Use a large pan to give the prawns plenty of room to cook without crowding them.
  • Use rubber-tipped tongs to flip the prawns and protect the pan.
  • Use fresh prawns instead of frozen prawns for the best results.
  • If you want to add some spice, incorporate some chilli sauce into the pan while the prawns are cooking.

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Pan-frying cooked prawns with chilli

Ingredients

For this recipe, you will need cooked prawns, preferably fresh rather than frozen. If you choose to use shell-on prawns, make sure to clean and devein them before cooking. Other ingredients include chilli, oil, butter (optional), lemon juice, and salt to taste.

Choose Your Prawns

As mentioned, fresh prawns are ideal for pan-frying. If you opt for shell-on prawns, they will add flavour to the dish and help protect the prawns from overcooking. However, you can also remove the shell before cooking, especially if you prefer a lighter, less calorific dish.

Prepare the Prawns

If your prawns are shell-on, start by removing the legs and carapace but leaving the tail and head intact. Then, use a sharp knife to cut into the back of the prawn and remove the digestive tract or vein. Rinse the prawns under running water and pat them dry with paper towels.

Cooking Process

Heat a generous amount of oil in a large frying pan. You want to give the prawns enough space to fry evenly, so don't overcrowd the pan. Place the prawns in the hot oil and cook each side for approximately 2 minutes until they turn pink. You can add butter to the pan for extra flavour and richness.

Adding Chilli and Other Flavours

To incorporate chilli into your dish, you can use fresh chillies, dried chilli flakes, or chilli sauce. Add the chilli according to your desired level of spice. You can also squeeze in some lemon juice for a tangy flavour and sprinkle salt to taste.

Serving Suggestions

Pan-fried prawns with chilli can be served as an appetizer or a main course. They go well with crusty bread, rice, or a refreshing pear and rocket salad. If you want something heartier, serve them with mashed potatoes or coconut rice. Enjoy your spicy, juicy prawns!

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Pan-frying cooked prawns with lemon

Ingredients:

  • Cooked prawns (fresh or frozen, with or without shells)
  • Butter
  • Lemon
  • Salt
  • Chilli pepper or chilli sauce (optional, for spice)

Method:

Step 1: Prepare the Prawns

If your prawns are frozen, ensure they are completely thawed before cooking. You can remove the shells before cooking, but it is not necessary. Cooking with the shells on adds flavour and helps protect the prawns from overcooking. If you decide to remove the shells, you can leave the tail and head intact for presentation. Deveining the prawns is also an option for a more thorough preparation. To devein, use a sharp knife to score down the back of the prawn, then remove the thin digestive tract with the knife tip. Rinse the prawns and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Step 2: Heat the Pan

Use a large frying pan to give your prawns ample space to cook evenly. Heat the pan on medium heat, and add a generous amount of butter. You can also add a drizzle of oil to the pan to prevent the butter from burning.

Step 3: Cook the Prawns

Place the prawns in the pan, ensuring they don't overlap. Cook each side for approximately 2 minutes. You will know the prawns are done when they turn pink on both sides. If using chilli sauce, add it to the pan during cooking to incorporate spice and additional flavour.

Step 4: Add Lemon and Seasonings

Once the prawns are cooked, squeeze lemon juice over them. A citrus juicer can be used to prevent seeds from falling into the dish. Add a pinch of salt to taste, and if you like your dish spicy, include a pinch of chilli pepper.

Step 5: Serve

Pan-fried cooked prawns with lemon can be served as an appetizer or a main course. They pair well with crusty bread, rice, or a refreshing pear and rocket salad. Enjoy your tasty creation!

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Pan-frying cooked prawns with or without shells

Prawns are a delicious and quick dish to cook, and pan-frying is one of the simplest ways to prepare them. You can pan-fry prawns with or without their shells, and both methods are straightforward.

Pan-Frying Cooked Prawns with Shells

If you choose to leave the shells on, you will benefit from added flavour and the shells will help to protect the prawns from overcooking. Firstly, devein the prawns by scoring down the back with a sharp knife and removing the thin digestive tract. You can then rinse the prawns and pat them dry with a paper towel. Next, heat butter and oil in a large frying pan and add the prawns, ensuring they have enough space to cook evenly. Cook each side for about 2 minutes until they turn pink, and add lemon juice, salt, and chilli pepper or a garlic butter sauce if desired.

Pan-Frying Cooked Prawns without Shells

If you remove the shells, start by taking off the legs and carapace but leave the tail and head intact. Then, cut into the back of the prawn and remove the vein. You can then follow the same method as above, heating butter and oil in a pan and adding the prawns, cooking each side for about 2 minutes. Again, add lemon juice, salt, and chilli pepper, or a sauce of your choice.

Tips

When cooking prawns, it is important to ensure they have enough space in the pan to fry evenly. Use a large pan and rubber-tipped tongs to flip them. You can also cook prawns on a hot grill, placing them onto the grill with their shells on and turning them over once they turn pink on one side. Prawns are cooked when they are completely pink.

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Frequently asked questions

Yes, you can. However, it is recommended to use fresh prawns instead of frozen prawns for the best results.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add cooked prawns and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. You can add the juice of half a lemon, along with salt and a pinch of chilli pepper if you like your dish spicy.

Use a large pan to give prawns enough space to cook evenly and avoid overcrowding. Use rubber-tipped tongs to flip the prawns. If using frozen prawns, make sure to thaw and pat them dry to remove excess moisture.

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