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Dinner with Rukmini
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Bengali Popcorn Shrimp
Introduction from Rukmini Iyer
These lovely crispy prawns are a variation on my grandmother’s recipe for prawn cutlets, but skipping the most labour intensive stage. When my mum and I ordered prawn cutlets on a trip to Kolkata, what arrived were so massive I thought they were breaded, butterflied lobsters. ‘Oh – that’s just the size of a prawn here,’ I was told. ‘English prawns are like little shrimp!’ So I’ve cut out the butterflying stage, on the basis that prawns here are the perfect size to crumb and fry as they are.
Ingredients
Essential kit
You will need: a slotted metal spoon.
Method
Prep time: 20 minutes + 1 hour marinating. Cook time: 15 minutes.
Tip the prawns into a bowl, and mix well with the Worcestershire sauce and chilli powder. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or longer if you like.
When you’re ready to prep, tip the flour and panko breadcrumbs into 2 separate, shallow bowls alongside a bowl with the beaten egg. (I suggest that you lightly crush the panko a bit further, as it’ll help coat the prawns evenly.)
Shake the marinade off a few prawns, then dip and turn each evenly into the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs – this is easiest if you use one hand for the egg, and the other for the flour and panko, or you’ll end up with perfectly breadcrumbed fingertips. Transfer the breaded prawns to a couple of trays lined with kitchen paper and continue. At this stage, you can go ahead and fry, or place the trays back into the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
To fry the prawns, pour the oil in a large saucepan no more than half full and heat until it reaches 180°C, or until a cube of bread sizzles and turns a pale golden brown within 30 seconds. Turn down the heat to medium, then gently lower in as many prawns as will fit in your pan, leaving plenty of space around them. If in doubt, fry just a few at a time until you’re confident.
Fry the prawns in batches for 2–3 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted metal spoon to transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen paper as you go, and continue until they’re all fried. Scatter with sea salt and serve within minutes of them all coming out of the pan.
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From the book
India Express: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Every Day
75 recipes inspired by the vibrant flavours of South India and Bengal
Speedy and fuss-free recipes for maximum flavour in return for minimum effort
Trademark traybakes, as well as stir-fries, snacks, weeknight curries, and simple desserts
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