The humble prawn toast is getting a gourmet makeover, and it's causing quite a stir in the culinary world! From a Cantonese fusion dish to a social media sensation, this beloved Chinese restaurant staple is now a sought-after delicacy in high-end dining establishments.
For years, prawn toast has been a familiar sight on Chinese restaurant menus. But now, it's making waves in the fine dining scene, appearing on plates from Somerset House to the Mayfair Chippy. This transformation began with a revival in air-fryer recipes and supermarket sales, with Ocado reporting a 67% increase in M&S frozen prawn toast sales compared to last year. But the real game-changer is its recent elevation to haute cuisine status.
At the heart of this story is Joyeta Ng, a 36-year-old chef at Poon's restaurant in Somerset House, London. This restaurant is a relaunch of Amy Poon's family legacy, a Michelin-star establishment founded in Chinatown's Lisle Street in 1973. Poon's promises an authentic Chinese dining experience, even for those without a 'nice Chinese friend to cook for them at home.'
Amy's initial reluctance to include prawn toast on the menu is a fascinating detail. Her mother, however, insisted on adding some crowd-pleasers to ensure financial stability. Thus, the £12 prawn toast, named 'The hill that Amy didn't die on,' pays homage to Chinese poetic dish names and her daughter's hesitation.
But here's the twist: it's not your typical toast. Ng explains that they can't technically call it toast because it's not made with bread. Instead, it's a delicate disc of lard cured in rose liqueur, topped with aromatic prawn paste, sesame seeds, and panko breadcrumbs, then deep-fried to perfection. It's a mouthwatering blend of textures and flavors.
Ng describes the dish as 'addictive,' with a unique balance of fat and juiciness from the prawns, creating a satisfying crunch. The dish is labor-intensive, and they make only 20 portions per service, which always sell out. But for readers of this article, Ng promises to make more!
The Japanese Kibou restaurant in Battersea offers its own twist on prawn toast. Chef Harrison Rivera, 40, created a deep-fried bao bun filled with a prawn mix and coated in sesame seeds. This version boasts a crispy exterior, soft bun texture, and a juicy filling, served with a house sauce and mushroom pickles for a burst of acidity and umami.
Rivera believes his creation is one-of-a-kind, and he hasn't seen a similar dish elsewhere. Samuel Dic Sum Lai, a PhD candidate studying Hong Kong's fusion cuisines, traces the origins of prawn toast to late 19th-century western-style restaurants in the Canton region, where bread was combined with local flavors. He highlights the tendency of Chinese-owned establishments to experiment with different cuisines and ingredients.
The Mayfair Chippy, a 'posh chippy' serving fish and chips and lobster, has embraced the Cantonese fusion trend. Co-founders Jamie Jones, Peter Taylor, and George Hammer, all from northern England, introduced the dish to their 'British-themed' restaurant. Their £12.95 TMC Prawn Toast is a deep-fried brioche sandwich filled with king prawns and sriracha mayonnaise, selling 100 portions daily across both restaurants.
The Mayfair Chippy's version showcases a unique blend of British and Cantonese flavors, with a signature 'TMC' label. Other restaurants like Gunpowder and Tempo in Hackney have also put their spin on prawn toast, incorporating Indian and Japanese influences, respectively.
Supermarkets like Waitrose, M&S, Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Aldi have caught on to the trend, offering air-fryer-ready versions. M&S, in particular, has seen a 45% increase in prawn toast sales compared to last year. Ocado has also delivered more raw ingredients for this popular snack, including sesame seeds and fresh king prawns.
But here's where it gets controversial: is this a respectful homage or a cultural appropriation? The debate around culinary appropriation is a complex one, and this dish's journey raises questions about authenticity and ownership. What do you think? Is this a delicious evolution or a step too far?
