This Singapore chilli prawns is my gluten free version of a Singaporean seafood gastronomy amazingly popular in Singapore and Malaysia. Likewise, they most frequently use mud crabs, followed by prawns. Stir-fried in a special sumptuous, sweet and savoury sauce. Besides, I made the sauce with tomato, chilli, garlic, onion and rice wine vinegar. Then I added beaten egg and thickened the sauce with corn starch or potato starch. I made the flavourful sauce delectably aromatic and with a distinctive fluffy consistency. This gluten free Singapore Chilli Prawns recipe is also low carb, dairy free, nut free and soy free.
You may also like my other gluten free prawns recipes:
- Chinese Deep Fried Batter Prawn;
- Easy Prawns Lo Mein;
- Coconut Prawns;
- Prawns and Pineapple Curry;
- Chinese Five Spice Fried Prawns;
- Prawns and Eggs Fried Brown Rice;
- Malaysian Curry Laksa (King Prawns and Chicken Laksa);
- Salt and Pepper Prawns; and
- Prawns and Snow Peas Stir-Fry.
History of Singapore Chilli Crabs and Prawns
Possibly one of Singapore’s most supreme culinary creations. Frequently referred to as Singapore’s national seafood dish, making this famous dish a must-try. They ranked this dish at number 35 on World’s 50 most delicious foods list collected by CNN Go in 2011. And also more recently on World’s 50 best foods by CNN Travel in 2021. History of Singapore chilli crabs dated all the way back to 1950. When Cher Yam Tian and her husband Lim Choo Ngee started selling stir-fried crabs from a pushcart. They made their sauce mixed with bottled tomato and chilli sauce. This was an impromptu recipe because the initial recipe did not include bottled chilli sauce. By 1956, a flourishing business retailing this dish incited the founding of a brick and mortal restaurant. Until today, it is still located in Palm Beach, Singapore.
Health Benefits and Nutritional Values of Prawns
Prawns belong to one of two groups of shellfish, namely crustaceans and molluscs. Crustaceans include prawns, scampi, crabs, lobsters and crayfish. While Molluscs include shellfish like oysters, mussels, scallops and cockles, plus calamari, squid, octopus and cuttlefish. All shellfish in this category is an excellent source of protein. Not only minerals rich but also very low in calories and extremely high in Omega 3 fatty acid. Thus, prawns do not cause high cholesterol levels in our physique due to their healthy fat content.
Quite contrary to the common beliefs that prawns cause high cholesterol. In fact, prawns have very low calories, two times less than chicken and three times less than beef. Prawns are also abundant in minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorous, copper and selenium. Selenium is an antioxidant that supports healthy cells growth and boost the immune system. Prawns are also a rich source of Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and B12 (cobalamin). Furthermore, prawns are healthy provided you cook them in healthier ways. Like stir-fry, steaming, barbecue, grill or cook with a ‘good’ unsaturated fat like olive oil and rice bran oil.
Singapore Chilli Prawns
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg large fresh king prawns shelled and deveined, tails intact
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- steamed basmati rice to serve
For The Chilli Paste:
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 1 small small brown union cut into wedges
- 5 long fresh red chillies deseeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
For The Sauce:
- 1 medium tomato peeled, deseeded and diced into 1 inch pieces
- 5 tablespoons gluten free tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons gluten free tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon gluten free sweet chilli sauce
- 1 tablespoon gluten free rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon corn starch (or potato starch) mixed well with 3 tablespoons of water
For The Marinade:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Instructions
- Add the chillies, garlic and onion into a food processor, blend until you get a smooth paste and set aside in a bowl.
- Marinate the prawns with ground white pepper and salt.
- Heat up a non-stick wok with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and stir-fry the prawns for 2 to 3 minutes on medium to high heat. Remove the prawns and juice and set aside. Clean wok with kitchen paper towel.
- Heat up the non-stick wok with another 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, stir-fry the chilli paste for 2 minutes or until aromatic on medium to high heat. Then add the sauce prepared earlier and stir-fry for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Return the prawns and juice to the wok, stir-fry and mix the sauce well with the prawns. Lastly, add the egg and stir-fry and mix well with the sauce for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until prawns are just cooked.
- Serve hot with steamed basmati rice and lemon wedges.
