Asian Chilli Garlic Prawns with Sticky Spicy Garlic Sauce
By Lucas Morgan
High heat quickly browns the prawns before they can turn tough, while a brief final toss lets the reduced sauce cling to them. This Asian chilli garlic prawn dish pairs juicy shrimp with a sweet, spicy, garlicky sauce that resembles a fast homemade chilli jam.
Sear the prawns in two batches so the skillet stays hot enough to colour them rather than steam them. Toasted sesame oil, finely minced garlic, ginger, and chilli flakes form the aromatic base after the pan cools slightly. Water, Sriracha, light soy sauce, and brown sugar simmer together, supplying the vinegar, heat, salt, and sweetness needed for the sticky glaze.
Watch the prawns as much as the clock: raw shrimp hang straight, properly cooked shrimp curl into a C, and overcooked shrimp tighten into an O. The sauce should reduce to a thin syrup before the prawns return, then coat them nicely after one to two minutes. Crowding the first sear or leaving the prawns in too long are the main routes to a watery pan or rubbery texture.
Serve the prawns with rice to catch the sauce, or use cauliflower rice as the suggested alternative. Cucumber with Asian sesame dressing, Asian slaw, steamed greens, green beans, snow peas, or smashed cucumber salad can round out the plate. Finish with sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and red chillies if desired.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Searing the prawns in two batches keeps the skillet hot, creating golden surfaces instead of releasing enough moisture to make them steam.
- Cooling the pan briefly before the aromatics go in helps the garlic turn golden without burning while the sesame oil warms.
- A three-minute simmer concentrates water, Sriracha, soy sauce, and sugar into a thin syrup that clings to each prawn.
- Adding prawns back only after the sauce thickens limits their final cooking time, helping them stay juicy rather than become rubbery.
- Chilli flakes control the heat because Sriracha remains in the sauce for its vinegar and flavour, not merely its spice.
- Frozen prawns work well when fully thawed and patted dry, because excess surface water would interfere with browning in the skillet.
Ingredients
- •500 g raw prawns / shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- •1.5 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola)
- •1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- •3 cloves garlic (very finely minced)
- •2 tsp ginger (grated or finely chopped; can be omitted)
- •1 tsp chilli flakes
- •0.5 cup water (125 ml)
- •3 tbsp Sriracha
- •2 tsp light or all-purpose soy sauce
- •3 tbsp brown sugar (white sugar may be substituted)
- •sesame seeds (optional garnish)
- •green onions (optional garnish, finely sliced)
- •red chillies (optional garnish, finely sliced or chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat.
- 2
Add half the prawns and sear for about 45 seconds on each side until golden, then remove to a bowl.
- 3
Repeat with the remaining prawns.
- 4
Remove the skillet from the stove to cool slightly, then turn the heat down to medium.
- 5
Return the skillet to the stove and heat the sesame oil.
- 6
Add the garlic, ginger, and chilli flakes, then cook until the garlic turns golden.
- 7
Add the water, Sriracha, soy sauce, and sugar.
- 8
Stir, increase the heat to medium-high, and simmer for 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens to a thin syrup consistency.
- 9
Return the prawns to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.
- 10
Reheat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and coats the prawns nicely.
- 11
Garnish with sesame seeds, fresh chilli, and green onions if desired, then serve with rice.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
410
Protein
52g
Fat
12g
Carbs
20g
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