Chinese Sesame Prawn Toast Crisp with Scallion
Golden, crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside prawn toast triangles studded with toasted sesame seeds and infused with aromatic scallion oil. This dim sum classic starts with a rich paste of fresh shrimp, egg white, and cornstarch spread onto white bread, coated in sesame, and shallow-fried until the bread turns amber and the shrimp layer develops a delicate crust. Serve hot as an appetizer or party snack with sweet chili sauce or soy dipping sauce.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 47 min
- Makes
- 12 toasts (3 per person)
Steps
Before you start
- Remove crusts from bread before slicing—they make toasts uneven
- Have all ingredients measured and within arm's reach of your work station
- Preheat oil to the right temperature; cold oil makes soggy toast, too-hot oil burns the sesame before the shrimp cooks through
- Line a plate with paper towels for draining
Make scallion oil
- If you don't have pre-made scallion oil, heat 3 tbsp neutral oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until it shimmers.
- Add 2 thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts) and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant, then immediately remove from heat and strain through a fine sieve, discarding the solids.
- Let cool to room temperature.
- This can be made up to 2 hours ahead.
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Ready when: Oil is fragrant and scallions have released their aroma
Tip: Infuse the oil separately to control the flavor; if you mix raw scallion in the paste, it may oxidize and turn bitter during frying.
Combine shrimp and pork fat
- Place the chopped shrimp and diced pork fat into a food processor.
- Pulse 5–6 times until the mixture is finely minced and paste-like, with no large chunks visible—it should resemble wet ground meat.
- Alternatively, use a mortar and pestle to pound the shrimp and fat together until completely smooth.
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Ready when: Shrimp mixture is pale pink, uniform, and paste-like with no visible chunks
Tip: Don't overprocess—you want a coarse paste, not a watery puree. The pork fat adds richness and helps the paste stick to the bread.
Season the shrimp paste
- Transfer the shrimp paste to a small bowl.
- Add the egg white, cornstarch, soy sauce, and a pinch of white pepper.
- Stir vigorously with a spoon for 1–2 minutes until the mixture is sticky and glossy, becoming slightly lighter in color.
- Add 1 tbsp water and stir until fully incorporated.
- The paste should be spreadable but thick enough not to drip off a knife.
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Ready when: Paste is glossy, sticky, and light pink; it holds its shape on a spoon
Tip: The egg white acts as a binder and helps the shrimp layer set during frying. Vigorous stirring develops the proteins so the paste adheres to the bread.
Assemble the toasts
- Arrange the 12 bread triangles on a cutting board, laid out flat with the cut side up.
- Working with one triangle at a time, spread about 1 tbsp of shrimp paste onto the bread surface in an even, ¼-inch-thick layer, leaving a thin border around the edges.
- You should use all the paste to coat the 12 triangles.
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Ready when: All bread triangles are evenly coated with paste
Tip: Spread the paste to the edges but not over them—overhanging paste will fall off during frying. Use the back of a spoon or a small offset spatula for even coverage.
Coat with sesame seeds
- Pour the sesame seeds into a shallow plate.
- Working with one coated triangle at a time, place it shrimp-side down into the sesame seeds, pressing gently so the seeds adhere to the paste.
- Lift and turn it over to coat the other side if needed, though most seeds will stick to the shrimp side.
- Set the toasts sesame-side up on a clean plate or parchment paper.
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Ready when: Sesame seeds completely cover the shrimp paste layer
Tip: Press gently but firmly—too light and seeds fall off during cooking; too hard and you squash the paste out from under the bread.
Heat the oilOven 325°F / 165°C
- Pour 2 cups of neutral oil into a large shallow skillet or wok and place it over medium-high heat.
- Allow the oil to heat for 3–4 minutes until it reaches 325°F (163°C) on a thermometer.
- You can test readiness by dropping a single sesame seed into the oil—it should sizzle gently and float immediately without browning.
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Ready when: Oil reaches 325°F (163°C) and sesame seed test sizzles gently
Tip: Use a thermometer—eyeballing temperature is the biggest mistake. Too cool and the bread absorbs oil instead of crisping; too hot and the sesame burns before the shrimp cooks.
Fry the first batch
- Carefully place 6 toast triangles sesame-side down into the hot oil, spacing them so they don't touch.
- They will sink briefly, then float.
- Fry for 2–3 minutes until the sesame coating turns golden brown and the bread edges become light amber.
- Using a slotted spatula or spider strainer, gently flip each toast.
- Fry the second side for 1–2 minutes until the bread is golden and crispy.
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Ready when: Sesame-coated side is deep golden; bread is crispy and light amber on both sides
Tip: Don't crowd the pan—toasts need room to move. If the oil temperature drops below 310°F (154°C), pause and let it reheat before frying more.
Drain and finish the first batchOven 200°F / 95°C
- Using the slotted spatula, transfer the fried toasts to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.
- While still hot, drizzle lightly with scallion oil (about ½ tsp per toast, or about 1½ tsp total).
- Taste one toast and season with a tiny pinch more white pepper if desired.
- Keep warm in a 200°F (93°C) oven while you fry the second batch.
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Ready when: Toasts drain and are glossy with scallion oil
Tip: Apply scallion oil while toasts are hot so it absorbs into the crust and seasons them fully. Too much oil will make them soggy.
Fry the second batchOven 325°F / 165°C
- Repeat step 7 with the remaining 6 toasts, adjusting heat if needed to maintain 325°F (163°C) in the oil.
- Fry sesame-side down for 2–3 minutes, flip, and fry the other side for 1–2 minutes.
- Transfer to paper towels and drizzle with scallion oil as before.
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Ready when: Second batch is golden and crispy, matching the first batch
Tip: If the oil has cooled, raise the heat and allow 1–2 minutes for it to come back to temperature.
Serve immediately
- Arrange all 12 toasts on a warm serving platter, sesame-side up.
- Serve at once while the toasts are still crispy and warm, within 2–3 minutes of the last batch leaving the pan.
- Accompany with small bowls of sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, or chili-soy dipping sauce.
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Ready when: All toasts are plated and still warm
Tip: Prawn toast is best enjoyed immediately after frying. It crisps up for about 10 minutes, then the bread begins to soften as the shrimp layer releases moisture.
Good to know
Tips
- Temperature control is non-negotiable: use a thermometer. Oil at 325°F (163°C) gives you the 'sweet spot' where the bread crisps before the shrimp overcooks. Below 310°F (154°C) and you get greasy toast; above 340°F (171°C) and the sesame blackens.
- The egg white is crucial—it binds the paste to the bread and creates a light, pillowy shrimp layer when fried. Don't skip it or substitute with yolk.
- Spread the paste evenly and not too thick (about ¼ inch). Uneven coverage means some parts fry faster than others, and a layer thicker than ½ inch won't cook through before the bread burns.
- Have all ingredients prepped and measured before you begin frying. Once the oil is hot, work briskly—don't leave it sitting unattended, as temperature can drift and cold toasts frying into it will cool the oil fast.
Make ahead
You can make the shrimp paste up to 4 hours ahead, cover it, and refrigerate. Assemble and coat the toasts with sesame up to 1 hour before frying and refrigerate on a parchment-lined tray covered loosely with plastic wrap. Frying must be done fresh, just before serving.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten fresh. Leftovers (rare!) can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 hours, but they lose crispiness. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 day and reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3–4 minutes to restore some crunch. Do not freeze assembled uncooked toasts (the shrimp paste may separate when thawed).
Substitutions
- pork fat or lard → unsalted butter, softened. Use 1 oz (30 g) butter in place of pork fat for a lighter, less rich flavor. The toasts will still be delicious but slightly less decadent.
- white bread (soft, about 1 day old) → brioche or milk bread. Brioche will fry up richer and slightly sweeter; trim the crusts just as you would with white bread. Avoid dense whole-grain loaves, which absorb too much oil.
- sesame seeds (white, unhulled) → black sesame seeds or a mix of white and black. Black sesame seeds provide visual contrast and a nuttier flavor. Use the same quantity.
- raw shrimp, peeled and deveined → canned shrimp, drained and patted very dry. Use 6 oz (170 g) canned shrimp if fresh is unavailable. The flavor will be slightly milder and more 'canned'—compensate by adding a pinch more soy sauce (½ tsp total).
