Side Dishes
Saeu-gui (Salt-roasted Prawns)
Spread coarse salt in a heavy pan, heat it, then add the cleaned prawns and roast them with the lid on. The salt spreads the heat evenly, so the shells turn crisp while the meat stays juicy.
한국어로 보기 (Korean version)
Steps
- 1
Rinse the prawns under running water and use scissors to trim off the sharp spike at the front of the head, the long whiskers, and the tips of the legs. Slip a toothpick into the back at the second shell segment to pull out the dark vein, then pat dry with paper towels.
Drying them well keeps the salt from spattering and makes the shells crisp.
- 2
Spread the coarse salt 1–2 cm deep in a heavy pan or pot and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- 3
Lay the prawns on top without overlapping, cover, and roast over medium heat for 5 minutes.
The lid keeps the prawns from jumping out and helps them cook evenly all the way through.
- 4
Flip the prawns and roast 3 minutes more, until the shells are orange all over and the meat is white and opaque.
- 5
Peel and eat the meat first, dipped in cho-gochujang. Pull off the heads and roast them in the pan 2 minutes more to eat crisp.
Substitutions
| Instead of | Use | How |
|---|---|---|
| salt-lined pan | air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 10–12 minutes | Spread the prawns on parchment paper and flip once halfway through. |
Storing leftovers
Roasted prawns firm up and the shells go soft as they cool. Eat within 1 day from the fridge, and reheat in their shells in a pan over medium heat until hot all the way through. Cooked prawns turn dry and mealy when frozen, so freeze raw prawns instead, cleaned and sealed. Don't reuse the roasting salt, since it has absorbed the prawn juices.
Serve with
Rice, kimchi, and stir-fried mushrooms. It's a simple roast, so tangy kimchi or cho-gochujang fits well.
Making more or less
For 4 servings, roast in two batches so the prawns don't overlap and cook evenly.
Questions
Do I need to devein prawns before roasting them?
The vein is the dark line along the back; left in, it tastes bitter and feels gritty. When roasting shell-on, slip a toothpick in at the second segment on the back and gently pull, and it comes out without peeling. The spike and whiskers burn easily, so trim them off with scissors.
