Chef Thai Dang's Crying Tiger Prawn Toast

Ingredients

• 1 lb raw shrimp (peeled and deveined; to be smashed and chopped into a paste)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (finely minced)
• 1 Fresno chilies (finely diced)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 egg whites (used as a binder)
• 2 scallions (finely sliced)
• 4 Chinese donuts (also known as You Tiao or Giò Cháo Quẩy; savory fried dough sticks)
• oil for frying (neutral oil such as vegetable or canola)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the raw shrimp on a cutting board. Use the flat side of a heavy knife or cleaver to smash the shrimp, then finely chop them until they form a coarse paste.

2. 2

   Transfer the chopped shrimp to a mixing bowl. Add the minced ginger, diced Fresno chilies, and oyster sauce.

3. 3

   Add the egg whites to the bowl. Stir the mixture vigorously until the egg whites are fully incorporated and the mixture thickens and becomes tacky; this helps bind the shrimp so it doesn't separate during frying.

4. 4

   Fold in the sliced scallions until evenly distributed.

5. 5

   Transfer the shrimp mixture into a piping bag.

6. 6

   Using a serrated knife, split the Chinese donuts (You Tiao) in half lengthwise.

7. 7

   Pipe the shrimp mixture onto the cut side of each donut half in a zigzag motion, covering the surface from one end to the other.

8. 8

   Press the shrimp mixture firmly onto the donut to ensure it adheres.

9. 9

   Heat oil in a pan for shallow frying (or prepare an air fryer). Place the donuts shrimp-side down into the hot oil first to sear and set the protein.

10. 10

    Fry until the shrimp is cooked through and the donut is extra crispy and golden brown. If deep frying, ensure they are 'twice fried' for maximum crunch.

11. 11

    Remove from heat and slice into bite-sized pieces using a serrated knife before serving.

Notes

The chef refers to the donuts as 'jacquai' (Giò Cháo Quẩy). The egg whites are critical because they prevent the water content in the shrimp from causing the mixture to 'explode' or detach from the bread when it hits the hot oil. This dish can be pan-fried, deep-fried, or cooked in an air fryer.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• shrimp
• prawn toast
• Vietnamese
• Chinese
• fusion
• fried
• seafood