Sweet and Sour King Prawn Balls
Sweet and Sour King Prawn Balls
Ingredients
For the Prawn Balls
- 1 pound king prawns, peeled, deveined, tails on
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, large
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, canned, drained, juice reserved
- 1 bell pepper, medium, green, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 bell pepper, medium, red, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 onion, medium, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh, grated
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the prawns: Pat the peeled and deveined king prawns thoroughly dry with paper towels. This helps the batter adhere better.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg with the cold water. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until a smooth, thick batter forms. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Start the sweet and sour sauce: While the batter rests, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender-crisp. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and stir-fry for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Finish the sweet and sour sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, granulated sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce. Pour this mixture into the skillet with the vegetables. Bring to a simmer. In another small bowl, whisk the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the reserved pineapple juice and 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the drained pineapple chunks. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Heat the oil for frying: Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure accurate temperature.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 6
Fry the prawn balls: Dip each king prawn into the prepared batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Carefully lower the battered prawns into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Fry for 2-3 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the prawns should reach 120°F (49°C).
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 7
Drain and serve: Remove the fried prawn balls with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately with the warm sweet and sour sauce on the side or tossed gently with the sauce.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Sweet and Sour King Prawn Balls
For the Prawn Balls
- 1 pound king prawns, peeled, deveined, tails on
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg, large
- 3/4 cup cold water
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Sweet and Sour Sauce
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, canned, drained, juice reserved
- 1 bell pepper, medium, green, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 bell pepper, medium, red, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 onion, medium, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, fresh, grated
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice, reserved from canned pineapple
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the prawns: Pat the peeled and deveined king prawns thoroughly dry with paper towels. This helps the batter adhere better.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Make the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. In a separate small bowl, whisk the egg with the cold water. Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until a smooth, thick batter forms. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. Let the batter rest for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Start the sweet and sour sauce: While the batter rests, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and onion and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender-crisp. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and stir-fry for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Finish the sweet and sour sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, granulated sugar, ketchup, and soy sauce. Pour this mixture into the skillet with the vegetables. Bring to a simmer. In another small bowl, whisk the 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the reserved pineapple juice and 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the simmering sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Stir in the drained pineapple chunks. Remove from heat and set aside.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Heat the oil for frying: Pour the vegetable oil into a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure accurate temperature.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 6
Fry the prawn balls: Dip each king prawn into the prepared batter, ensuring it's fully coated. Carefully lower the battered prawns into the hot oil, frying in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Fry for 2-3 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the prawns should reach 120°F (49°C).
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 7
Drain and serve: Remove the fried prawn balls with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack lined with paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve immediately with the warm sweet and sour sauce on the side or tossed gently with the sauce.
⏱️ 5 min