Panko Prawn Rice Bowls
Looking for a new way to enjoy panko prawns? Imagine bowls of fluffy, aromatic rice topped with the crispiest prawns, crunchy vegetables and a spicy bang bang dressing. Yum!
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
For the prawns:
- 450 g shell-on tail-on jumbo raw prawns
- 2 large eggs
- 60 g plain flour
- 60 ml water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 110 g panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ tsp smoked paprika
- Oil for frying
For the rice bowl:
- About 100 g uncooked rice or more depending on hunger (see Substitutions and Variations)
- 1 ripe avocado sliced
- ½ cucumber sliced
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 100 g edamame beans
- Additional vegetables of your choice see Substitutions and Variations
For the bang bang sauce:
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tsp sriracha sauce
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 clove garlic grated
To serve:
- Freshly chopped coriander
- Thinly sliced spring onions
- Feta crumbled (optional)
- Lime
Instructions
- Start cooking your rice according to packet instructions.
- Peel the prawns but leave the tail on. Using a sharp knife, carefully devein them - it can be a bit fiddly and time consuming, but is definitely worth it (you could ask your fishmonger to do this bit for you). Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the eggs, flour and water until just combined. Season generously.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the panko breadcrumbs and smoked paprika.
- One at a time, dip each prawn in the batter, then place in the paprika-panko breadcrumbs, turning to coat (press down to ensure the breadcrumbs stick).
- Fill a large deep-saucepan, casserole pan or deep-fat fryer ⅓ full of oil and heat until it reaches 190C. Line a plate or baking tray with kitchen paper.
- Slowly lower the prawns into the hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes on each side - or until crispy and golden brown. Once you get the hang of it, you can fry in batches of 3 or 4 at once - don’t do too many or you will overcrowd the pan.
- Carefully remove the prawns from the oil using a slotted spoon and place on the kitchen-paper lined plate or baking tray to absorb any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining prawns.
- Next, in a medium-sized bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, sriracha sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar and grated garlic. Taste and adjust depending on whether you like it saltier, spicier or tangier.
- Divide the rice between two bowls and top with the panko prawns. Add the sliced avocado, cucumber, edamame beans and red onions (or vegetables of your choice). Drizzle with the sauce and serve garnished with freshly chopped coriander, spring onions, a crumbling of feta, if wished, and half a lime for squeezing over. Enjoy!
Notes
Scroll up for a helpful step by step guide on the panko prawns.
To store: Any leftover panko prawns can be transferred to an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 3 days. They are best fresh, of course, but leftovers are always worth keeping for a quick lunch.
To reheat: Reheat in the air fryer at 200c until crispy and hot all the way through - around 3-4 minutes. Otherwise, the oven works well too. Preheat to 200c and reheat for 5-7 minutes.
To freeze: You can batter and cover the prawns in the panko breadcrumbs. Lay on a lined baking tray and transfer to the freezer, just to firm up. Once firm and the batter is well stuck to the shrimp, transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag and place back in the freezer. They will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, fry in hot oil as instructed. They will need longer than 2 minutes to cook through from frozen, around 5 minutes but it will depend on the size of your prawn and the thickness of the batter. Test one by cutting into it to check it's fully cooked - it should be opaque in the middle.
Make ahead: Only fry these panko prawns when ready to eat, as they are best fresh from the fryer. If you want to get ahead, I would use the freezer method as above.
Baking instead of frying: Note that it won't be as crispy. Batter and cover shrimp in panko as normal. Lay on a lined baking tray, and drizzle with a little oil. Bake at 220C/200c fan for 5 minutes until starting to crisp before turning over and cooking for a further 3 minutes. Or until the prawn is golden, crispy and cooked through. The exact time will depend on the size and shape of your shrimp.
Overcrowding: it is really important not to overcrowd the pan when frying or else the temperature could drop leaving you with oily, greasy prawns or the prawns could stick together - neither of which are what we are going for!
Serving suggestion: whilst this is delicious as a main meal - you could also serve the panko prawns as a snack or starter with a dip (such as sriracha mayonnaise).