Pan Fried Fresh Water Prawn

Giant Fresh Water Prawn

This pan-fried freshwater prawn recipe is probably one of the easiest but remarkably delicious recipes for prawn—huge, giant-sized fresh prawns pan fried with soy sauce, cooking wine, a bit of sugar, and chopped scallions.

In Chinese, this dish is called 干烧虾, a popular seafood delicacy, especially in coastal regions abundant with fresh shrimp. It’s a celebrated dish, and freshwater prawns are a prime choice due to their texture and the rich, creamy fat found in their heads.

I have a strong affinity for freshwater prawns; their taste is arguably second only to that of Santa Barbara live spot prawns, in my opinion.

What Is Freshwater Prawn

Freshwater prawns, are closely related to the shrimp family, but a completely different specie. They are primarily found in freshwater habitats such as rivers, lakes, and ponds, as opposed to saltwater or marine habitats. They are also farmed in freshwater environs. The best seafood doesn’t always have to come from the sea.

Their key characteristics include:

• Appearance: They have a big head, and hence called big head prawn in Cantonese and Chinese (大头虾). They are prized for the rich and creamy fats in their head, and its blue-wish color shell with two long claws. At a glance, they resemble a mini lobster cum crawfish.
• Habitat: Found in freshwater environments like rivers, lakes, and rice paddies.
• Culinary Use: Their sweet, delicate flavor and firm flesh and texture are perfect for Chinese recipes and Thai recipes. In fact, the best Tom Yum is made with freshwater prawn.

Recipe Ingredients

• Freshwater prawn – if you are in the United States, you can purchase them frozen (in a paper box) at Asian supermarkets. If you are in Asia, you may get live and giant fresh water prawns from live seafood stores.
• Garlic – chop garlic coarsely for a chunkier texture.
• Soy Sauce
• Shaoxing wine – substitute with Chinese rice wine, cooking sake, or dry sherry. If you cannot consume alcohol, skip it altogether.
• Sugar
• Chopped scallions

How To Cook Fresh Water Prawns

Step 1: Using a sharp knife, make a shallow incision along the back of the prawn. Remove the dark vein, then rinse with water and pat dry with paper towels.

Step 2: Add oil to a wok or pan. Once the oil is heated, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic and light brown in color.

Step 3: Add in the fresh water prawns, soy sauce, wine, sugar and do a few quick stirs. 

Step 4: Use the wok turner to press down on each prawn, pan-frying both sides until they are fully cooked.

Step 5: Add the chopped scallions and stir to combine with the prawns. Serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

What To Serve With This Recipe

For a complete and balanced meal, pair this prawn dish with the following recipes:

Fried Wontons

Garlic Bok Choy

Cashew Chicken

Ginger Soy Fish

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please share your photo in the Comments section and consider giving it a 5-star rating. I can’t wait to see your creations! Want more easy and delicious recipes? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.