We sell four kinds of prawns at our Jurong West stall: ang kar, tiger, vannamei (grey) and small black prawns. Ang kar are wild caught sea prawns and our top tier, tiger prawns are a favourite for the grill and curry, vannamei are our everyday prawns for steamboat and stir fries, and small black prawns are wild caught prawns for frying with vegetables. Here is how they compare, what the size labels mean and how much to order.
Which prawns should I buy?
| Prawn | Also called | Origin | Sizes we sell | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ang kar prawns, Grade A | 红脚虾, red tail prawns, big sea prawns | Malaysia, wild caught from small boats | Small to medium (18/20) or large (13/15) | Steaming, grilling, stir frying |
| Ang kar prawns, Grade B | 海虾, white sea prawns, hai xia | Indonesia, wild caught | Mixed small and medium, about 30 to 35 per KG | Everyday steaming and stir fries at a lower price |
| Tiger prawns | 老虎虾, lao hu xia, lao hor hei | Malaysia | Medium, about 28 to 32 per KG; large, about 18 to 22 per KG | BBQ, garlic butter, curry |
| Vannamei prawns | 灰虾, grey prawns, glass prawns | Malaysia, farmed | Small, about 19 to 21 per 500G; medium, about 14 to 16; large, about 9 to 11 | Steamboat, fried rice, Hokkien mee, stir fried vegetables |
| Small black prawns | Wild caught | Packs of 300G or 600G | Frying with vegetables |
What do prawn sizes like 13/15 mean?
The numbers are a count: how many prawns make up a set weight, so the smaller the number, the bigger each prawn. Our tiger prawns are counted per KG (medium about 28 to 32, large about 18 to 22), and our vannamei per 500G (small about 19 to 21, medium 14 to 16, large 9 to 11). Ang kar come as small to medium (18/20) or large (13/15). Prawns are natural produce, so the count can be one or two either side; if you need a set number for a dish, tell us how many people you are cooking for.
Wild caught or farmed prawns?
Ang kar and small black prawns are wild caught; vannamei are farmed in Malaysia. Ang kar are caught from small boats in Malaysian waters and are our top tier prawns, which is why they cost the most. Vannamei are available every day, so they are the prawns we suggest for steamboat and weekday cooking, though not every size is in every day. We prefer not to sell what the trade calls Grade C sea prawns, because they can be mushy or sandy.
How many prawns do I need?
- Steamboat: our steamboat pack for 4 to 6 people comes with 500G of medium vannamei alongside 2 KG of fish fillets, and the larger pack with 1 KG.
- A main dish for the family: 500G of large vannamei or large tiger prawns is about 9 to 11 prawns.
- Fried rice or noodles: small vannamei go further, at about 19 to 21 per 500G.
How should I store prawns after delivery?
Cook them within a day or two, or freeze them the day they arrive. Rinse, pat dry, portion into boxes and label the date. Our guide to freezing prawns walks through each step, and the freezer guide covers portioning a whole delivery.
Order prawns
Add prawns to your fish order from our prawns collection. We weigh everything on delivery day and you pay after; delivery is free from $75 (see delivery days). Want to check which sizes are in today? WhatsApp Xavier.
