Prawn Fritters – Cucur Udang
Crisp, salty and with a deep flavour of the sea, these Malaysian prawn fritters are the perfect small bite.
Introduction
I adore travelling and always have. Of course, food is a key factor in what draws me to a country. While I was in Cádiz, in the south of Spain, exploring the local sherry and trying flamenco dancing with friends, I rediscovered this dish of shrimp fritters called tortillitas de camerones. I wonder whether this dish has any connective roots to cucur udang, from when the Portuguese colonised Melaka. Within Malaysia’s colonisation, there has been a huge crossover with foods. The two types of fritters are both incredibly simple: the prawns have to be on the outside and the fritters themselves are very flat. They’re salty-delicious.
Ingredients
| 125g | rice flour |
| 40g | white wholewheat flour (or plain flour) |
| 1/2 tsp | bicarbonate of soda |
| A pinch of | ground turmeric |
| 1 large | egg |
| 15 | whole raw small-medium prawns, shelled and deveined |
| 15 | whole raw small-medium prawns with shells on, deveined |
| A handful of | fresh garlic chives (or regular chives), chopped |
| A handful of | beansprouts |
| vegetable oil, for deep-frying | |
| salt and ground white pepper | |
| Sambal Oelek, to serve |
Method
First, make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, white wholewheat flour, bicarbonate of soda and turmeric. Crack the egg into the bowl, whisk it into the flour mixture and then gradually add 180ml of water, little by little, to form a smooth batter. The consistency should be similar to a pancake batter; it should coat the back of a spoon but not be too thick.
Fold the shelled and shell-on prawns, chopped garlic chives and beansprouts into the batter. Season with a pinch each of salt and white pepper.
Fill a deep-fat fryer or large, heavy-based saucepan no more than two-thirds full with oil. Heat the vegetable oil to 170°C. Meanwhile, line a tray or plate with kitchen paper and keep a spider or slotted spoon to hand.
Working in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan, spoon the batter into the oil to form small fritters. (If there are too many fritters in the fryer at once, the oil temperature will drop and they won’t go crispy.) Deep-fry for 3–4 minutes on each side, or until golden, crispy and cooked through. Transfer the prawn fritters to the lined tray or plate to drain any excess oil.
Once they are all cooked, serve the fritters immediately while hot with Sambal Oelek for dipping.
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