Asian Appetizers Recipes - Prawn Fritters Recipe

  
 

Appetizers Recipes - Prawn Fritters Recipe

Ingredients

  • 16 raw prawns (shrimp) in the shell

  • 225g/8oz/2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

  • 5ml/1 tsp baking powder

  • 2.5ml/1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 egg, beaten

  • 1 small sweet potato

  • 1 garlic clove, crushed

  • 115g/4oz/1/2 cup bean sprouts, soaked in cold water and well drained

  • vegetable oil, for shallow and deep frying

  • 4 spring onions (scallions), chopped

For the dipping sauce:

  • 1 garlic clove, sliced

  • 45ml/3 tbsp rice vinegar

  • 15-30ml/1-2 tbsp water salt, to taste

  • 6-8 small fresh red chillies

Serves 2-4

Method:

  1. Mix together all the ingredients for the dipping sauce and divide between two small bowls.

  2. Put the whole prawns in a pan with water to cover. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 4-5 minutes or until the prawns are pink and tender. Lift the prawns from the pan with a slotted spoon. Discard the heads and the body shell, but leave the tails on. Strain and reserve the cooking liquid. Allow to cool.

  3. Sift the flour; baking powder and salt into a bowl. Add the beaten egg and about 300ml/1 1/4 cups of the prawn stock to make a batter that has the consistency of double (heavy) cream.

  4. Peel and grate the sweet potato using the large holes on a grater; and add it to the batter; then stir in the crushed garlic and the drained bean sprouts.

  5. Pour enough oil for shallow frying into a large frying pan. It should be about 5mm/1/4in deep. Pour more oil into a wok for deep frying. Heat the oil in the frying pan. Taking a generous spoonful of the batter; drop it carefully into the frying pan so that it forms a fritter; about the size of a large drop scone.

  6. Make more fritters in the same way. As soon as the fritters have set, top each one with a single prawn and a few chopped spring onions. Continue to cook over a medium heat for 1 minute, then remove with a fish slice or metal spatula.

  7. Heat the oil in the wok to 190°C/375°F and deep fry the prawn fritters in batches until they are crisp and golden brown. Drain the fritters on kitchen paper and then arrange on a serving plate or platter. Offer a bowl of the sauce for dipping.

Note: These are a favorite snack or appetizer. Unusually, they are first shallow fried, then deep fried. They are best eaten fresh from the pan, dipped in the piquant sauce.