Donal Skehan recipe: Prawn and sesame toasts

These crispy fried toasts should come with a warning – they are highly addictive. In the process of photographing this recipe I ate far more than I’d care to mention.

The method for this recipe is simple and results in a sweet and savoury appetiser. They are best served soon after they are fried. The use of white pepper is also important here, although both white and black pepper come from the same plant, white peppercorns add a light and unique spiciness commonly found in Chinese cookery.

Finely chop the prawn meat and then combine it, in a bowl, with egg white, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and cornflour until mixed through. Season with salt and white pepper.

Cover and place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Slice the white bread slices diagonally into quarters. Spread about one heaped teaspoon of the prawn mixture on each triangle until it is completely covered on one side. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over it and press in gently.

Fill a high-sided frying pan with 4-5cm of sunflower oil and place over a medium high heat. Test it is hot enough by frying one of the crusts – it should turn golden brown.

Lower each prawn triangle, meat side down into the hot oil and fry for two minutes before flipping over to fry for a further minute or until golden brown.

Remove from the hot oil and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Serve while still warm garnished with coriander and some soy sauce for dipping.