Har Lok is a flavorful Singapore-style prawn dish featuring juicy, shell-on prawns coated in a savory garlic, ginger, and soy sauce glaze. This Chinese-inspired seafood recipe combines aromatic ingredients with a quick wok-cooking technique to create a delicious dish that’s perfect for a special dinner or weekend meal.
If you enjoy bold Asian flavors, this Har Lok recipe delivers a satisfying combination of salty, sweet, and savory tastes. Light soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and tomato ketchup create a glossy sauce that clings to the prawns, while fresh garlic, ginger, and spring onions add wonderful aroma.
Unlike a simple shrimp stir-fry, this recipe begins by briefly deep-frying the prawns before tossing them in the sauce. This two-stage cooking method helps develop flavor while keeping the final dish tender and juicy.
Start with one pound of large fresh prawns, leaving the shells on. Trim the whiskers and legs, rinse the prawns, and pat them dry. Season with salt and let them stand for approximately 30 minutes.
While the prawns rest, combine light soy sauce, cornflour, sugar, rice wine or dry sherry, and tomato ketchup in a small bowl.
A sturdy carbon steel wok on Amazon is a useful tool for preparing Har Lok because it provides plenty of room for quickly tossing the prawns and aromatics.
Carefully fry the prawns in hot oil in small batches, following safe deep-frying practices. Remove and drain them, reserving a few tablespoons of oil in the wok.
Add chopped garlic and ginger, stirring briefly until fragrant. Return the prawns to the wok, pour in the prepared sauce, and toss until the prawns are fully cooked and coated in the glossy glaze.
Finish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately while hot.
Har Lok pairs beautifully with steamed jasmine rice, Soybean Sprout Soup, or crispy Mushroom Spring Rolls.
For more seafood inspiration, browse our Shrimp and Fish Recipes and Asian Recipes.
With its aromatic sauce and succulent prawns, homemade Har Lok is a delicious way to bring Singapore-style seafood flavors to your dinner table.
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Har Lok
Har Lok – Singapore Style Stir-Fried Prawns in Sauce is a delectable, saucy, savoury prawn dish that will have you licking all the sauces off your fingers, and off the plate!
- Total Time: :40
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh Large Prawns, shells kept on
- 1 tsp Salt
- Vegetable Oil, for deep frying
- 4 Garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 thumb-length Ginger, chopped or grated
- 4 stalks Spring Onion, chopped
Sauce:
- 1 tsp Corn Flour
- 2 tbsp Light Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Rice Wine or Dry Sherry
- 1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup
Instructions
- Wash prawns well and snip off whiskers and legs with a food scissor. Pat prawns dry with paper towels. Place prawns into a large bowl, sprinkle with salt and mix well. Let stand for about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Fill a wok half full with oil. Heat up oil in wok until just smoking. The right temperature is important because the aim is to sear the prawns. Tip all the prawns (be careful not to tip in any residual liquid left in the bowl) into the oil. Gently move them around in the wok using a pair of long bamboo chopsticks or a slotted spoon. Fry for just a minute or so, as over-cooked prawns will turn tough and chewy.
- Turn off the heat, and remove prawns immediately using the slotted spoon. Place into a basket lined with paper towels to drain.
- Empty all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of the oil in the wok. Reheat oil until smoking hot. Saute chopped garlic and ginger until fragrant, then return the prawns to the wok. Pour the sauce over the prawns, and quickly toss until most of the sauce has been absorbed. Toss in the chopped spring onions, mix well, and scoop out onto a serving dish. Serve immediately when hot.
- Prep Time: :30
- Cook Time: :10
- Category: Entree
- Method: Wok Fried
- Cuisine: Singapore
Har Lok is a Chinese-style prawn dish featuring shell-on prawns coated in a savory sauce, often flavored with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and other seasonings.
No. This recipe keeps the shells on during cooking. The whiskers and legs are trimmed before seasoning.
Cornflour helps thicken the combination of soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, and tomato ketchup.
Yes. The published recipe specifically offers dry sherry as an alternative.
Steamed jasmine rice, stir-fried vegetables, or mushroom spring rolls are good accompaniments.