Honey Chicken – STAYS CRISPY for hours!

You catch the smell through the steam vent and suddenly you are starving. Its like the sweet scent of honey mixed with a deep ocean saltiness hits you, making your mouth water before you even see the plate. This kinda smell just pulls you closer to the kitchen, no joke.

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The steam bubbles a bit and you spot the float valve doing its job. The pressure build inside the cooker is like the countdown to crispy goodness about to come out. You can almost hear the little pop of the float valve as the prawns get that perfect tender pull on the inside while staying crunchy on the outside.

Your mind runs through the steps you took to get here. Patting each prawn dry, tossing it in salt, then coating it just right with that special batter. You sense the broth depth of flavors lurking just below the surface with that tangy honey glaze ready to coat each bite. You just cant wait to dig in.

What Makes Pressure Cooking Win Every Round

Pressure cooking isnt just a kitchen trick, its your best buddy when cooking prawns that gotta stay crispy. Let me tell ya why it works real good.

• Speedy steam cues get you cooking faster than traditional methods, saving you from the long wait.
• Broth depth
• Perfect pressure build means your prawns cook evenly without drying out.
• Tender pull on the prawn meat keeps it juicy while the crunch stays vibrant.
• The float valve helps you keep an eye on the pressure so you get it just right every time.

The Complete Shopping Rundown

Now, before you fire up that cooker, make sure you got these goodies on hand. Its gonna make your cooking all smooth and simple.

• 300g raw prawns peeled with tail on (or 600g whole unpeeled if youre feeling fancy)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (cut down if you only got table salt)
• Cornflour/cornstarch, ½ cup plus 9 tablespoon (yeah you need two measures)
• 6 tablespoon plain flour for that perfect batter texture
• ½ teaspoon baking powder (NOT baking soda, keep that in mind!)
• ⅔ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold soda water (your best friend for crispiness, no sparkling mineral water though)
• 3 to 4 cups vegetable or canola oil for deep frying (you want about 4cm depth in your pot)
• For your honey sauce: ⅓ cup honey, 1.5 tablespoon glucose or light corn syrup, 1 tablespoon light soy sauce, and 2 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine or mirin

Optional but highly recommended if you wanna add some crunch underneath: 25g vermicelli rice noodles plus some sesame seeds and thinly sliced green onions to sprinkle on top.

Walking Through Every Single Move

Alright, you ready to get your hands busy? Heres how you make these prawns turn out super crispy yet tender inside.

1. First up, pat your prawns dry real good then toss with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. This pulls out any extra moisture so the batter sticks well.
2. Next, coat the prawns in ½ cup cornflour and shake off any excess. Set these tender puppies aside for a bit.
3. In a big bowl, mix together the 9 tablespoon cornflour, 6 tablespoon plain flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly whisk in the cold soda water till you get a smooth batter without lumps.
4. Heat your oil in a deep pot to 180C, just keep an eye on it with that trusty thermometer if you got one. You want it hot enough so the prawns fry crispy not greasy.
5. Dip each prawn in the batter letting the extra drip off before carefully lowering into the hot oil. Fry in batches so you dont crowd the pot.
6. Fry each batch for about 2 to 3 minutes till golden and crispy. Then transfer to a rack or paper towels to drain extra oil.
7. While prawns rest, gently warm the honey over low heat till its thin and runny. Drizzle the warm honey mix over the prawns and serve right away before they lose their crunch.

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Time Savers That Actually Work

This recipe is kinda involved but I got some hacks thatll speed things up without messin up the flavor or texture.

• Buy prawns pre-peeled with tails on to save peeling time.
• Mix your dry batter ingredients the night before so you just pour in soda water when ready.
• Use cold soda water straight from the fridge for best batter crispiness without waiting.
• Prep your honey glaze while the prawns fry so youre ready to drizzle right away.
• Cook in small batches to keep oil temp steady and avoid soggy prawns.

What It Tastes Like Fresh From the Pot

First bite you get that crackle of crisp batter that kinda bursts with a sweet honey kiss. Its light, almost like a crunchy cloud around your prawn.

The prawns tender pull inside surprises you with juicy freshness thats not chewy but melts easily. That broth depth of honey, soy, and a hint of wine hits your tongue in waves.

After the initial sweet rush, you get a slight savory slap from the soy and salt that balance it out perfectly. Its like this dish keeps dancing on your taste buds no matter how many you eat.

That little sprinkle of sesame and green onion adds an earthy crunch that rounds off the whole experience with freshness and texture. Honestly, its heck good.

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Your Leftover Strategy Guide

You might have some prawns left after your feast and dont wanna waste this awesome crispy-yet-tender thing you made. Heres how to keep that vibe going.

• Fridge storage: Pop leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 1 to 2 days. Reheat in an oven or air fryer at low temp to keep crisp.
• Freezing: You can freeze prawns but theyll lose some crispiness so wrap them well in foil or plastic wrap then in a freezer bag.
• Reheat tips: Avoid microwaving unless you want soggy prawns. A quick oven toast or air fryer blast for a few mins brings back crunch.
• Use in other dishes: Chop and toss leftover prawns into stir fry or fried rice for a flavor punch without frying again.

Your Most Asked Questions Answered

Q1 What soda water works best for the batter?

You wanna use club soda or seltzer water thats cold from the fridge. Avoid sparkling mineral water cause its got minerals that mess with the batter crispiness.

Q2 Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?

Nope, baking powders the right one here. Baking soda can make the batter taste funny and not rise like it should.

Q3 How do I know when oil is hot enough?

If you got a kitchen thermometer, 180C (350F) is perfect. Otherwise, drop a little batter in and see if it sizzles immediately and floats up.

Q4 Why do prawns need to be patted dry first?

Dry prawns help the batter stick better and stops oil splatter. Wet prawns make the batter soggy and your crispy dream bust.

Q5 What if I dont have glucose or corn syrup?

You can skip it but the glaze might not be as shiny or sticky. Honey alone still tastes yummy though.

Q6 Can I prepare the batter ahead of time?

Yeah, mix dry ingredients ahead and just whisk in soda water right before frying. That way your batter stays bubbly and fresh.

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Honey Prawns – stays crispy!Nagi

These Honey Prawns deliver the ultimate restaurant-style sweet-and-savory crunch at home with a double-fry method for lasting crispiness and a sticky honey glaze that clings perfectly to each bite.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 4 people

Calories 482 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Mixing bowl Large
• 1 Deep pot For deep frying
• 1 Whisk For batter mixing

Ingredients

  

Main Ingredients

• 300 g Raw prawns peeled, tail on
• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt halve if using table salt
• ½ cup Cornflour for dredging
• 9 tablespoon Cornflour for batter
• 6 tablespoon Plain flour
• ½ teaspoon Baking powder NOT baking soda
• ½ teaspoon Salt kosher/cooking
• ⅔ cup + 1 tbsp Cold soda water club soda or seltzer
• 3-4 cups Vegetable or canola oil for deep frying, ~4cm depth
• ⅓ cup Honey
• 1.5 tablespoon Glucose or light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon Light soy sauce or all-purpose
• 2 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine or mirin
• 25 g Vermicelli rice noodles optional
• Sesame seeds and green onions for garnish

Instructions

 

Instructions

• Pat prawns dry and toss with ½ teaspoon kosher salt to remove moisture.
• Coat prawns in ½ cup cornflour and shake off excess. Set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together 9 tablespoon cornflour, 6 tablespoon flour, baking powder, and salt. Chill until oil heats.
• Heat oil in a deep pot to 180°C.
• Mix in cold soda water gradually into dry ingredients to make lump-free batter.
• Dip each prawn in batter, drain off excess, and fry in hot oil in batches for 2-3 minutes until golden. Drain on rack.
• Warm honey, syrup, soy sauce, and wine in a saucepan on low heat until syrupy.
• Re-fry prawns in 200°C oil for 3 more minutes until deep golden.
• Toss hot prawns in honey sauce. Serve over crispy rice noodles with sesame seeds and green onions.

Notes

For crisp results, use cold soda water. Double frying makes it extra crunchy. Garnish with sesame and scallions for extra flavor.