King Prawn Curry (Chinese Takeaway Style)

Cook up a restaurant classic at home with this Glasgow Chinese takeaway style king prawn curry recipe. Aromatic, spicy and full of flavour, it’s perfect with boiled rice and salt & chilli chips.

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This Glasgow Chinese takeaway style king prawn curry is a classic made simple at home. Sizzling king prawns, onions with a bit of bite and a rich, thick savoury and spicy curry sauce.

Ingredients For Chinese Takeaway Style King Prawn Curry

This classic king prawn curry uses Chinese takeaway style curry paste, simmered down with light stock, sea salt, MSG and sugar to make a deliciously rich and spicy curry sauce.

• Fresh Raw King Prawns
• Sea Salt
• MSG
• White Pepper
• Rice Wine
• Sesame Oil
• Vegetable Oil
• Onion
• Light Chicken Stock
• Chinese Takeaway Style Curry Paste

Cook Like a Takeaway: Want to see the exact oyster sauce, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine I use in all my Chinese recipes? Check out my Chinese Takeaway Style Cooking Essentials guide.

How To Make Chinese Takeaway Style King Prawn Curry

Preparing this classic Chinese takeaway style king prawn curry is really fast and easy with curry paste prepared. First, king prawns are seasoned. Next, they’re flash fried with onion in a hot wok. Next, seasoning and light chicken stock is added, along with curry paste. The sauce is simmered until thick and Chinese king prawn curry is ready to serve.

Step 1: King Prawns

Pat 9 fresh raw king prawns dry with kitchen paper and add to a bowl with pinch sea salt, pinch MSG, pinch white pepper, dash rice wine and dash sesame oil. Mix briefly and set aside.

Step 2: Stir Fry

Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a wok over a medium-high heat. Add 1/4 onion, roughly choppedand the seasoned king prawns. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the prawns begin to change colour, then add 225 millilitres light chicken stock, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon MSG and 1/4 teaspoon sugar. Mix well. Bring to the boil and simmer for 30 seconds.

Step 3: Curry

Reduce the heat to low and add 50 grams Chinese takeaway style curry paste , whisking thoroughly and mixing well until the curry sauce becomes smooth. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, adding a little extra water if necessary until the sauce reaches the desired consistency.

Recipe Tips for Chinese Takeaway Style King Prawn Curry

Curry Paste: This recipe uses Chinese takeaway style curry paste. This is an aromatic, spice filled mix that you can prepare easily at home and store in the freezer. You’ll never be more than a few minutes away from a fresh batch of Chinese takeaway style curry sauce!

Preparation: Stir fry dishes come together quickly, so it’s good to have all the necessary ingredients and sauces prepared and to hand before you start cooking. Once you start, it’s all go until the dish is sizzling hot and ready to serve!

I hope you’ll try this Chinese takeaway style king prawn curry recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments how it went!

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Chinese Takeaway Style King Prawn Curry Recipe FAQ

What is MSG and why should I use it?

MSG is monosodium glutamate, a seasoning ingredient widely used in Chinese takeaway kitchens, in pure form or as an ingredient in soy sauces and other seasoning sauces. Despite historic baseless claims of its dangers, it has been widely proven to be considered safe for use in cooking. In fact, many of the myths and lies about MSG were deliberately and maliciously spread as a form of racism. You can find MSG naturally in many foodstuffs including broccoli, cheese and tomatoes. It’s available online or in Chinese supermarkets. You can learn more about MSG from the brilliant Chin Taylor of Ziang’s Kitchen here.

Do I need a carbon steel wok to cook Chinese takeaway style dishes?

A well seasoned carbon steel wok is a wonderful addition to your Chinese takeaway style cooking equipment, and I would highly recommend investing in one. But, you can cook this dish in any wok or large frying pan and it will be delicious!

Can I use cornflour instead of potato starch?

Yes, you can use cornflour and water to thicken the simmering stir fry sauce. It will do a similar job, however a more consistent texture is achieved using potato starch.

Can I use chicken / beef / char siu pork / vegetables instead?

Yes! This recipe also works well with chicken, beef, char siu pork or mixed vegetables.

What’s the difference between light soy sauce and dark soy sauce?

In Chinese takeaway kitchens, chefs use light soy sauce mainly for seasoning – it’s thinner and more salty than dark soy sauce. Dark soy sauce has a thicker consistency and is used to add colour to stir fry sauces and egg fried rice.

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Do you like this Chinese takeaway style king prawn curry recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Chinese Takeaway Secret you can find a host of restaurant and takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make Glasgow Chinese takeaway style king prawn satay, beef in black bean sauce, salt and chilli shredded chicken and more! You can buy The Chinese Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.

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