These steamed prawn rice paper rolls are a quick and easy take on the dim sum favourite cheung fun, ready in just 15 minutes. Make these for a quick and delicious lunch or as a side with other dishes.
I am always looking for new and interesting lunch ideas that I can pull together really quickly in the middle of a work day. I work from home so I understand this is a luxury to be able to cook in the middle of the day but if you’re in a similar situation or just looking for a simple dinner for one, then this might be for you.
I first saw these prawn rolls on TikTok, because where else would this type of rice paper hack exist! The idea is to create the dim sum favourite cheung fun at home using rice paper instead of making the sheets of rice noodle which can be time consuming.
I love all types of dumplings so new this was worth a try. While the rice paper is more chewy, it’s not unpleasant and actually works really well. If you’re craving dim sum but only have 15 minutes to make a meal, then this is for you!
The recipe is written to make just 3 rolls which is more of a light lunch/snack portion, but you can easily scale it up as you need if you want these to just be a full meal on it’s own or to serve as a side with other dishes.
Key Ingredients
You don’t need much to make the prawn rolls themselves, and then you can mix up a simple sweet soy dipping sauce which honestly is what makes these taste more like what you’d get at a restaurant.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Prawns – I like to keep a bag of peeled, raw frozen prawns in the freezer for quick and easy meals like my garlic prawn noodles. Just defrost them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before using.
- Rice Paper – also called a Vietnamese spring roll wrapper, this is the wrapping that will make the roll.
- White pepper – a little seasoning helps flavour the prawns and using white pepper instead of black pepper gives a more authentic dim sum taste.
- Soy sauce – the base of the dipping sauce.
- Oyster sauce – you could use hoisin instead if that’s all you have.
- White sugar – just a little bit sweetens the dipping sauce and balances the saltiness.
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Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Toss the prawns with sesame oil, salt, and white pepper until they’re evenly coated. Set aside.
Step 2: Dip one sheet of rice paper at a time into tap water, until it is fully wet but still firm. Lay it flat on a clean surface and place three prawns along the centre. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly. Repeat with the remaining rice paper sheets and prawns.
Step 3: Brush each roll with sesame oil to prevent the rolls sticking to each other and arrange on a heatproof plate.
Step 4: Set your bamboo steamer over a wok or saucepan of simmering water. Place the plate inside, cover with the lid, and steam for 4–5 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through and pink.
Step 5: Mix together the dipping sauce ingredients and pour over the steamed rolls.
Step 6: Scatter with chopped spring onions and serve immediately.
👉 Do not allow the rice paper to soak in the water for too long. It should still be hard when you pull it out of the water as it will continue to soften as it rests. Just let the rice paper sit for a minute or two after dunking and it will be the perfect texture to wrap up the prawns.
If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.
More prawn recipes:
Grilled Prawn Tacos
Prawn and Chorizo Pasta
Prawn Wontons with Chilli Oil
15 Minute Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta
Steamed Prawn Rice Paper Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 9 raw prawns peeled and deveined
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- pinch of salt
- pinch of white pepper
- 3 sheets rice paper
- sesame oil extra for brushing
- spring onions sliced, to serve
Dipping sauce
- 1½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- ½ teaspoon oyster sauce
Instructions
- Toss the prawns with sesame oil, salt, and white pepper until evenly coated.
- Fill a shallow bowl with cold tap water (not hot). Dip one sheet of rice paper at a time into the water for 5 seconds, just until it is fully wet but still firm. Lay it flat on a clean surface.
- Place three prawns along the centre of the sheet of rice paper. Once soft, fold in the sides and roll up tightly. Repeat with the remaining rice paper sheets and prawns.
- Lightly brush each roll with sesame oil and arrange on a heatproof plate.
- Set up your bamboo steamer over a wok or saucepan of simmering water. Place the plate inside, cover with the lid, and steam for 4–5 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through and pink.
- While the rolls are steaming, mix together the soy sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour the dipping sauce over the steamed rolls and scatter over the spring onions. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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