How to make Malaysian prawn and wild garlic fritters

Ping Coombes shows a step-by-step guide on how to master the easy-to-make recipe

Cucur udang or prawn fritters are a Malaysian favourite.

Served hot or at room temperature, eaten as an appetiser or snack, this well known street food is simple to make.


 Ping Coombes with her Malaysian prawn and wild garlic fritters

How to make Malaysian prawn and wild garlic fritters

Makes: 25 – 30 fritters

Ingredients:

300g raw king prawns, peeled and keep whole

150g plain flour

125g self raising flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbs Knorr chicken stock powder

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp white pepper

12 leaves of wild garlic, roughly chopped

375ml cold water

400ml vegetable oil for deep frying

Method:

Put all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add water to the flour mixture to make the batter and it shouldn’t be too lumpy.

Batter should coat the back of the spoon and has the consistency of thick double cream. Add wild garlic and prawns. Rest batter for 5 -10 minutes.

Heat oil in a small saucepan or wok. Oil should be hot enough when you drop a tiny bit of batter in, it should sizzle and float to the surface very quickly.

Using a metal dessertspoon, spoon a dollop making sure there are prawns and wild garlic and drop them gently into the oil.

It should float to the surface pretty quickly.

Repeat and don’t overcrowd your pan.

Turn occasionally with a pair of chopsticks or tong to ensure even colour on both sides. It takes about 3 - 4 minutes to cook through.

Remove and drain on kitchen paper.

Serve with plum and sriracha dip.

Plum and sriracha dip:

Makes a small bowl, about 230ml

Ingredients:

5 tbs of sriracha chilli sauce

5 tbs of clear plum sauce

1 tbs of sesame seeds

Method:

Mix sriracha and plum sauce well in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Credit: Recipe adapted from MALAYSIA: Recipes from a Family Kitchen by Ping Coombes, Consultant Chef at Chi Kitchen (www.chikitchen.co.uk), published by Orion, Photography (c) Laura Edwards.