Szechuan Prawns: A Quick Spicy Stir Fry

Szechuan prawns: a perfect quick stir-fry that you can cook in well under 30 minutes; the "fizz" of Szechuan pepper is pure magic with shrimp.

A real Friday fakeaway, but perfect for any night of the week that will save you a few pennies and make you feel like a real kitchen deity!

Spicy Szechuan Shrimp Stir Fry

Krumpli is littered with quick Friday Fakeaway dinners, odd really, as I've never been a slave to the takeaway menu.

But I do love the flavours, and knowing that you can cook them cheaper and quicker than your local takeaway is a revelation.

The stand-out flavour here is the characteristic 'fizz' of Szechuan peppercorns. Which are, in fact, not related to pepper at all; they are the husk of a seed, and they taste awesome.

I've said it before, but to me, they are like grown-up popping candy. It is one of my favourite spices, and the tingle to me is magical.

This Szechuan prawns stir fry joins a Szechuan Chicken, salt and pepper prawns, Szechuan tofu and Szechuan Beef Stir Fry here... So yeah, it's safe to say that I am fond of these flavours!

But they are not just good for Szechuan stir-fry dishes! I use them in recipes like my Chinese pork belly and Instant Pot Chinese spare ribs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen prawns?

Absolutely! Shrimp or prawns are highly perishable products. As a result, they are more often than not frozen at sea to extend their shelf life.

If you forget to defrost your shrimp before cooking this easy shrimp stir fry, you can speed up the process.

Put them in a colander and run cold, not hot, water over them. They will defrost and be ready to use in minutes.

What size prawns should I use?

As with many of my prawn recipes, I go pretty big; these are size 16-20 prawns, and I usually buy them head off and shell on.

Can I use pre-blanched prawns?

Yes, but they require even less cooking than the raw prawns that I use. You really do need to cook them for just a couple of minutes in total.

I find Szechuan pepper gritty. How can I stop that?

Szechuan pepper is the husk of a seed and not the seed itself; occasionally, a few fragments find their way into the packet.

The best way to deal with it is to toast the Szechuan pepper because this makes the husk more brittle. Then crush and finally pass through a fine sieve; this should get rid of any errant bits of seed.

Can I make this in advance?

I wouldn't advise cooling and reheating prawns; they will become very rubbery and unpleasant to eat.

Serving Suggestions

If you have been here before, you will likely be unsurprised to see that I serve these Szechuan shrimp with simple white rice.

I love it as a side; it is the perfect blank canvas to build big flavours on. But, if you want something a bit more standout, then egg fried rice is an easy addition to add.

If you wanted more vegetables, then I would add either stir fried broccoli or even stir fried asparagus when it is in season.

And let's not forget noodles; my sweet and sour noodles or even these soy sauce noodles would be perfect.

Equipment Used

I only mention brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/stovetop.
• Wok.
• Kitchen knife.
• Chopping board.
• Stirring and serving spoons.
• Mixing bowl.
• Colander, if you need to defrost the prawns.
• Weighing scales and measuring spoons.