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This easy Chinese prawn cake recipe uses Shrimp Mousse, carrots, and cilantro sandwiched between bean curd skin sheets. Pan-fried until golden and lightly crisp, they’re just like the ones at Din Tai Fung, with a tender, springy shrimp filling.
Recipe Summary
- 🔪 Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 👨🍳 Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏱️ Total Time: 15 minutes
- 🍽️ Servings: 2 prawn cakes
- 🏷️ Calories: ~447 calories
- 🍳 Cook Method: Shallow-fry
- ✨ Flavor Profile: Savory and lightly sweet, with a springy shrimp filling, bits of sweet carrot, and fragrant cilantro, all wrapped in golden, lightly crisp bean curd skin
- 🧩 Difficulty: Easy (Perfect for making Chinese shrimp appetizers at home)
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Chinese Prawn Cakes
Whenever I go to Din Tai Fung, I always order their prawn cakes. I love the golden bean curd skin and the tender, springy shrimp filling inside. Their version is deep-fried, which gives the skin a deeper golden-brown color and a crisp exterior. These Chinese prawn cakes are one of my favorite dim sum dishes to enjoy at the restaurant.
For my homemade version, I shallow-fry the prawn cakes in a little oil instead. The skin won’t turn as deep brown as the ones at Din Tai Fung, but you still get a lightly crisp exterior and that tender, springy shrimp filling. Shallow-frying also uses less oil and means less splattering and easier cleanup, making it a more practical way to enjoy these prawn cakes at home. Once cooked, I cut them into strips and serve them warm with chili sauce for dipping.
Sidenote: Bean curd skin is also known as tofu skin or beancurd sheet. It is commonly used in Chinese cooking for dishes such as tofu skin rolls and dim sum. Here, it holds the shrimp filling together and develops a lightly crisp exterior when pan-fried.
Shopping Guide: Bean Curd Skin
- Where To Buy: Look for bean curd skin at Chinese grocery stores, Asian supermarkets, or traditional markets.
- Best Type For This Recipe: Choose thin, flexible sheets that are large enough to cover the shrimp filling. Thin sheets work best for this recipe because they become lightly crisp when pan-fried without overpowering the shrimp filling.
- Fresh Bean Curd Skin: If the sheets are soft and pliable, you can use them directly. Keep them covered with a clean, slightly damp kitchen towel until ready to assemble to prevent them from drying out.
- Frozen Bean Curd Skin: Thaw completely according to the package instructions. Gently separate the sheets if they stick together.
- Dried Bean Curd Skin: Check the package instructions to see whether the sheets need rehydrating before use. If required, soak them as directed, then drain and gently pat dry before assembling the prawn cakes.
- Making It From Scratch: Bean curd skin forms naturally on the surface of heated soy milk. If you’d like to make your own, follow my How To Make Tofu Skin guide.
what about frozen?
Sidenote: Store leftover fresh bean curd skin in an airtight container in the refrigerator and use within a few days. Leftover frozen bean curd skin can be returned to the freezer if it has been thawed safely and hasn’t been left at room temperature for too long. Keep leftover dried bean curd skin in an airtight container in a cool, dry place to protect it from moisture.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Shrimp Mousse
- Carrot
- Cilantro leaves
- Bean Curd Skin
Please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full details on each ingredient.
Pro Tip #1: Use Homemade Shrimp Mousse
I highly recommend making my homemade shrimp mousse for this recipe. It takes a little extra effort, but it’s worth it! The shrimp mousse has a springy, bouncy texture that gives these prawn cakes their signature bite. It also stays tender and juicy after cooking, making the filling so much better than simply chopping up shrimp.
Pro Tip #2: Dice The Carrots
Finely cut the carrots into small, even pieces so they mix evenly into the shrimp mousse. Finely diced carrots add a little color and sweetness without making the filling difficult to spread or seal.
Pro Tip #3: Use Fresh Cilantro
Use fresh cilantro leaves for the best flavor. Chop them finely so they distribute evenly throughout the shrimp mousse without leaving large pieces in the filling.
How To Make Prawn Cake
Add the Shrimp Mousse, diced carrots, and chopped cilantro leaves to a mixing bowl.
Give everything a good mix until the carrots and cilantro are scattered evenly throughout the shrimp mousse. Split the filling into two equal portions so each prawn cake gets the same amount.
Lay one sheet of bean curd skin flat on your work surface. Spoon half of the shrimp mixture onto the center and spread it out toward the edges, leaving a 1 cm (⅜ inch) border all around.
Pro Tip: Keep the filling level from edge to edge. If some areas are much thicker than others, the shrimp may take longer to cook through.
Cover the filling with a second sheet of bean curd skin. Gently press across the surface to help the skin settle against the shrimp mixture, then pinch the edges together to close up the cake. Repeat with the remaining filling and two sheets of bean curd skin.
Pro Tip: Pay extra attention to the corners and edges. A snug seal helps keep the filling in place when you turn the cake over in the pan.
Pour the oil into a pan and heat it over medium heat. Carefully lay one prawn cake in the pan and let it cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the underside develops a golden color.
Pro Tip: Keep an eye on the color as it cooks. If the bean curd skin starts browning too fast, turn down the heat rather than letting the outside darken before the shrimp is ready.
Use a spatula to carefully turn the prawn cake over. Cook the second side for another 3 to 5 minutes, until golden and the shrimp filling is cooked through. Lower the heat if the skin is browning too quickly.
Pro Tip: If you’re unsure whether the filling is ready, check the thickest part. The shrimp should be opaque throughout, with no translucent or raw-looking spots.
Move the cooked prawn cake to a cutting board. Let it settle for a minute, then use a sharp knife to slice it into strips.
Pro Tip: A sharp knife makes cleaner cuts through the bean curd skin without squashing the springy shrimp filling.
Serve while warm with chili sauce or your favorite dipping sauce. I like serving these soon after frying, when the outside is lightly crisp and the shrimp filling is still tender and springy.
Frequently Asked Questions
The names are often used interchangeably, although recipes vary. Some shrimp cakes are shaped directly from minced shrimp, while this recipe sandwiches the shrimp filling between bean curd skin sheets before pan-frying.
I recommend using shrimp mousse for the best texture. It gives the prawn cakes their signature springy, bouncy bite and helps the filling hold together. Chopped shrimp won’t give you quite the same texture.
Yes, as long as the shrimp mousse is intended to be cooked and has a consistency that can be spread between the bean curd skin sheets. Follow the package’s storage and handling instructions if using a prepared product.
Yes. Deep-frying gives the bean curd skin a more evenly crisp exterior and a deeper golden color. Make sure the oil temperature is suitable for frying and cook until the shrimp filling is fully cooked.
Refrigerate leftover cooked prawn cakes in an airtight container within two hours of cooking. Reheat them in a skillet until heated through. The bean curd skin may soften in the refrigerator, but pan-frying can help restore some of its crispness.
This recipe is 447 calories per prawn cake.
What To Serve With This Recipe
For an easy and wholesome Chinese weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes:
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Other Shrimp Recipes You Might Like
Prawn Cake
Ingredients
- 250 g shrimp mousse
- 1 tablespoon diced carrots
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
- 4 bean curd skin, 8 inches x 6 inches
- 3 tablespoons oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine the shrimp mousse, diced carrots, and chopped cilantro leaves
- Mix well until the carrots and cilantro are evenly distributed throughout the shrimp mousse. Divide the mixture into two equal portions.
- Place a sheet of bean curd skin on a clean, flat surface. Spread one portion of the shrimp mixture evenly over the skin, leaving about 1cm (⅜ inch) around the edges to make sealing easier.
- Place another sheet of bean curd skin over the filling. Press gently to help the skin adhere to the shrimp mixture, then pinch the edges together to seal the filling inside.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Carefully place the prawn cake in the pan and pan-fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown.
- Carefully flip the prawn cake and pan-fry for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the other side is golden brown and the shrimp filling is fully cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed to prevent the bean curd skin from browning too quickly.
- Transfer the prawn cake to a cutting board and cut it into strips.
- Serve warm with chili sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
