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A white bowl containing, stir fried king prawns with toasted cashew nuts with spring onions and bell peppers.

Kung Po King Prawn

Quick and easy Kung Pao Prawn recipe made with king prawns, crunchy cashew nuts, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chillies and savoury sauce.
5 from 15 votes
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese Cuisine
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 3 - 4
Calories: 362kcal
Author: Khin

Equipment

  • Large wok or pan ( use traditional carbon steel wok or non-stick wok )

Ingredients

  • 300 gram King prawns About 10.6oz, Peeled and deveined
  • ½ Red bell pepper Cut small squares
  • ½ Green bell pepper Cut small squares
  • ½ Onion Cut small dices
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Finely chopped
  • ½ tbsp Ginger Finely grated
  • 3-4 Spring onions
  • 8-10 Dried chillies Sichuan chillies or any long red dried chillies ( cut and deseeded )
  • 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns Toasted and grinded into coarse
  • 4-5 tbsp Raw cashew nuts Or peanuts
  • 3 tbsp Groundnut oil Or vegetable oil

Prawn seasonings

  • 1 tbsp Light soy sauce Or all-purpose soy sauce
  • ¼ tsp White pepper

Stir Fry Sauce

  • 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Chinese black rice vinegar Chinkiang vinegar, see detailed in note
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Corn starch
  • 1 tsp Sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp Water

Instructions

  • Season the prawns with soy sauce and white pepper and set it aside. Mix all the stir fry sauce in a small bowl and whisk until sugar dissolved.
  • Heat the wok/pan into low-medium heat. Sautee the raw cashew nuts with a teaspoon of oil until crispy golden brown. Remove from the pan and set it aside.
  • In the remaining wok/pan drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil and stir fry the marinated prawns over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Once the prawns are charred and 80% cooked, removed from heat and set it aside.
  • Drizzle 2 tablespoon of oil and stir fry onion and dry chillies over medium high heat for a few seconds. Follow with the chopped garlic, ginger, and Sichuan peppercorns. Toss for a few seconds until fragrant then add the bell peppers.
  • Place the cooked prawns back in the wok and pour the sauce in.
  • Once the sauce is thick and glossy, turn off the heat and stir in toasted cashew nuts and spring onions.
  • Remove from heat and transfer to serving plate. Serve immediately with plain rice or noodles.

Notes

  • Chinese Black Rice Vinegar - also called Chinkiang vinegar or Zhenjiang vinegar is made from black glutinous rice. The flavor is fruity, slightly sweet, and mildly acidic. Instead of black rice vinegar, you can use regular rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar. 
  • King Prawns - Use king prawns, tiger prawns, shrimps, or seafood of your choice. Prawns should be peeled and deveined and pat dry with a paper towel before adding seasonings. 
  • Sichuan/Szechuan peppercorns - It has a hot numbing sensation and unique flavour. If you cannot get Sichuan peppercorns, you can add freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Nutrition

Calories: 362kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 1133mg | Potassium: 612mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1186IU | Vitamin C: 46mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg
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