These quick and easy Thai sweet chilli prawns are everything there is to love about Asian cookery. They are sweet, spicy, and easy to make and can be served with rice and green vegetables or tossed with noodles for a quick stir-fry.
What is Thai Sweet Chilli?
Thai sweet chilli sauce, as its name suggests, is a popular condiment in Thailand, known as Nam Chim Kai. It’s a simple sauce made from red chillies, garlic, vinegar, and sugar. Flavour-wise, it perfectly balances sweet and tangy while offering some spicy notes.
Sweet chilli sauce is traditionally used as a dipping sauce but can also be used in stir fries or as a marinade. It works exceptionally well with prawns, adding a mild heat while highlighting the sweetness of the prawns.
Thai sweet chilli sauce is sweeter and not spicy compared to hot sauces such as sriracha. But this also depends on the brand of sweet chilli sauce. Nevertheless, it adds a delicious flavour to the dish. You can use store-bought sweet chilli sauce, but I like to make it myself. However, whatever version you use, the flavour is undeniable.
What Prawns Should I Use?
When I first started cooking, I was a food snob, opposed to anything that wasn’t fresh. However, prawns are usually flash frozen soon after being caught, helping to lock in their freshness and texture. Defrost them overnight in the fridge and use them immediately. They’ll cook in minutes once thawed. However, take caution, overcooked prawns may turn rubbery.
King prawns are a farmed variety, popularised for their large size, moist flesh, and sweet but subtle flavour. They offer a low-calorie option that still provides a source of lean, high-quality protein. Prawns are high in vitamin B12, iodine, selenium, zinc, and are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Sweet Chilli Sauce for Prawns
There’s more to the sauce than just sweet chilli. Soy sauce and sesame oil help season the sauce, bringing an umami depth to the prawns. The sauce is then finished with a squeeze of lime, adding acidity and bringing everything else together.
Sesame oil – Sesame oil lends a nutty, umami flavour and balances the sweetness of the prawns and sweet chilli sauce. While higher in calories, sesame oil offers a great source of omega-6 unsaturated fats.
Soy Sauce – Soy sauce provides a salty, savoury hit that helps balance the sweetness of the sweet chilli sauce. Light soy sauce is here as it adds a saltier, umami flavour, but be aware of the high salt content and use sparingly—no need for extra salt.
Lime juice – This tangy, citrus juice brings everything together. It offers a low-calorie seasoning high in vitamin C, helping boost the flavour of everything else.
Thai Sweet Chilli Prawns
Ingredients
- 400 g Raw Peeled King Prawns Defrosted if Frozen.
- 30 ml Vegetable Oil
- 3 Garlic Cloves Thinly Sliced
- 1 Thumb Sized Knob of Ginger Peeled and Thinly Sliced
- 4 Tbsp Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Roasted Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- Juice from ½ Lime
Garnish
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
- 3 Spring Onions Thinly Sliced
Instructions
- Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add ½ the oil. Stir-fry the prawns in batches until just cooked.
- Set the prawns aside and wipe the wok clean. Heat the remaining oil in the wok and stir-fry the ginger and garlic until the garlic begins to brown. Then, return the prawns to the pan.
- Add the sweet chilli, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Remove from the heat and squeeze in the lime.
- Toss with the sesame seeds, spring onions, and chilli, then serve with rice or noodles.
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