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Crispy Prawns with Spicy Mango Mayonnaise

Plate lined with broccoli florets with garlic and red chilies, and mango mayonnaise coated prawns sprinkled with toasted black sesame seeds.

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This Crispy Prawns with Spicy Mango Mayonnaise dish is quick & easy to make and incredibly tasty! Juicy jumbo prawns are lightly battered and fried to golden perfection. They’re then tossed in a delectable creamy, sweet, and spicy mango mayonnaise sauce and served banquet style with stir-fried broccoli!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise:

  • 1 cup Mango – diced
  • ½ cup Mayonnaise
  • 1.25 TSP ground Cayenne, to taste
  • 1.25 TSP Crushed Red Chili Pepper Flakes, to taste
  • 1/8¼ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • ½ TBLS Lemon Juice

For the Stir-fried Broccoli:

  • 2 TBLS Olive Oil (or any other cooking oil)
  • 2 TSP Sesame Oil
  • 2 medium heads Broccoli –  cut into florets, rinsed thoroughly and dried
  • 4 Garlic cloves – minced
  • 24 small Red Chilies (optional), to taste – chopped
  • 12 Dried Red Chilies (optional), to taste – broken up into small pieces
  • ½ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
  • ½ cup Water

For the Crispy Prawns:

  • 500g Jumbo Black Tiger Prawns (size: 16/20 – frozen or fresh) – peeled and deveined, rinsed thoroughly and pat-dried with paper towels (Feel free to use shrimp instead if you prefer.)
  • 2 TBLS Corn Starch
  • 2 TBLS Tapioca Starch
  • 34 cups Peanut Oil (or any other frying oil such as vegetable or canola oil)

Optional toppings:

  • Toasted black sesame seeds
  • Chopped spring onion (scallion)

Instructions

For the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise:

  1. Add the diced mango to a mini blender and blend until smooth. (You may need to uncover and mix with a spoon, then cover and blend again to puree completely.)
  2. Transfer the mango puree to a medium bowl and add mayonnaise, ground cayenne, crushed red chili pepper flakes, kosher salt, and lemon juice. Mix with a spoon until evenly combined. Then transfer to an airtight jar, cover and set aside.

For the Stir-fried Broccoli:

  1. Cut the broccoli into florets and rinse thoroughly. Chop the garlic, red chilies, and break the dried chilies into small pieces.
  2. Heat olive oil in a wok or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and fresh red chilies and sauté until fragrant.
  3. Add the broccoli florets and dried red chilies and cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the florets start to brown slightly.
  4. Turn the heat down to medium-low and pour in the water. Giver everything a quick stir, then cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
  5. Uncover the wok and turn the heat back up to medium-high again. Toss and cook until the water has evaporated and the broccoli florets are tender, but still retain some crunch.
  6. Switch off the heat, then drizzle the sesame oil on the broccoli and gently stir.
  7. Arrange the broccoli, garlic, and chilies around the perimeter of a large round serving plate.

For the Crispy Prawns:

  1. Peel and devein the prawns if needed. Then rinse thoroughly and pat-dry with paper towels.
  2. Combine the tapioca starch and cornstarch in a large Ziplock bag or bowl. Mix with a spoon until evenly combined. Add the prawns to the Ziplock bag and massage the pieces to fully coat them in the starch mixture. (If using a bowl, toss the prawns gently to coat in the starch mixture.) Shake off any excess starch and transfer the prawns to a clean plate.
  3. Heat peanut oil in a small pot over high heat for a few minutes until the oil reaches a temperature of 175°C/350°F. Then turn the heat down to medium-low. Working in batches, add 4-5 prawns into the pot and fry for 2-3 minutes, moving them gently around with a metal slotted spoon to ensure they don’t stick to each other, until they are slightly browned. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain, then repeat with the remainder prawns.
  4. Working in batches again, fry the prawns again for 1-2 minutes, until they are golden brown. Drain on a paper towel lined plate again.
  5. Transfer the prawns to a stainless steel mixing bowl and add 5-6 tablespoons of the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise on top. Gently (but quickly) toss to coat the prawns with the spicy mango mayonnaise. Then spoon the prawns into the center of the broccoli lined plate.
  6. To Serve: Sprinkle with black toasted sesame seeds and chopped spring onion if desired. Serve immediately with warm steamed rice.

Equipment

Notes

  1. Is this gluten-free? Yes. Corn starch and tapioca starch are naturally gluten-free (unlike most all-purpose flours). So you’re good to go if you (or others you’re dining with) need to follow a celiac friendly diet.
  2. Making ahead: You can make the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise one to three days in advance. However, the prawns will become soggy if you toss them in the mango mayonnaise too soon before serving. It is best to fry the prawns, toss them in the spicy mango mayo, and serve immediately. As for the broccoli, you can stir-fry the florets a few hours in advance and reheat in a wok on the stovetop again. But be aware that they will lose their crunch and be more tender than if you were to prepare them just before frying the prawns. Therefore, I recommend making the mango mayonnaise in advance if you would like to save time. But the broccoli and prawns should be prepared just before serving for best texture and flavor.
  3. Spicy Mango Mayonnaise color: The color of your spicy mango mayonnaise depends on the time/season of the year and the type of mango you use. I’ve made this recipe several times now and have gotten a bright yellow, dull orange, and even a pale yellow mango mayo! They all tasted great with the prawns (and on other things too!), so don’t worry too much about the color of the mango mayo.  Just be sure not to use a green mango for this recipe as it is more sour and nutty flavored, and only becomes sweet once fully ripened.
  4. Leftover Spicy Mango Mayonnaise: This recipe yields more mango mayonnaise than you need to toss the prawns with and you will have some leftover. You can make the prawns a second time in the same week and toss with the leftover mayonnaise if you like. Or feel free to use it in sandwiches, wraps, as a dip, etc. I often toss some cooked diced chicken with the remaining mango mayonnaise and make a divine Spicy Mango Mayonnaise Chicken Salad. It tastes great in between of a buttery toasted croissant with some bright greens, and fresh tomato and cucumber slices!
  5. How long will the Spicy Mango Mayonnaise keep?: It will keep in the fridge in an airtight jar for 5-7 days.

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