Kung po prawns — juicy prawns stir-fried with peanuts, chilli and water chestnuts in a sweet-savoury sauce. A speedy, crunchy Chinese-style dish, lovely with rice.
Kung po prawns is a quick, vibrant stir-fry — juicy prawns tossed with crunchy peanuts, chilli and water chestnuts in a glossy sweet-savoury sauce. It comes together in minutes and delivers big, bold flavours with lovely contrasting textures. Serve over rice for a fast, satisfying dinner.
Prep 15 min
Cook 15 min
Total 30 min
Easy
- 400g Prawns
- 2 tbs Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Tomato Puree
- 1 tsp Corn Flour
- 1 tsp Caster Sugar
- 1 tsp Sunflower Oil
- 85g Peanuts
- 3 Large Chilli
- 1 tbs Brown Sugar
- 6 cloves Garlic Clove
- 450g Water Chestnut
- to taste Ginger
Tags:
BBQVideo
Preparation
- Mix the cornflour and 1 tbsp soy sauce, toss in the prawns, and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir the vinegar, remaining soy sauce, tomato purée, sugar and 2 tbsp water together to make a sauce.
- When ready to cook, heat a large frying pan or wok until very hot, then add 1 tbsp oil. Fry the prawns until golden in places and opened out, then tip them out.
- Heat the remaining oil and add the peanuts, chillies and water chestnuts. Stir-fry for 2 minutes until the peanuts start to colour, then add the ginger and garlic and fry for 1 minute more. Tip in the prawns and sauce and simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Serve with rice.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Toss the prawns in cornflour and soy first so they cook up tender with a light coating.
- Mix the sauce before you start, as the stir-fry moves quickly.
- Fry the prawns briefly until just pink, then remove so they don't overcook.
- Add the peanuts with the aromatics so they toast and stay crunchy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cook them quickly over high heat just until pink and opaque, then add them back at the end. Overcooking makes them rubbery.
Yes — this works just as well with chicken, tofu or a mix of vegetables. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
It has a moderate kick from the chillies, but you can dial the heat up or down to taste.
Steamed rice is the classic partner. Egg-fried rice or noodles also work well to soak up the sauce.
