Crispy Cereal Prawns (麦片虾 Mai Pian Xia)

Method14 steps · about 1 hr

1. 1

   Step 1: Prepare the twelve raw prawns, keeping their heads and shells intact. Keep raw-seafood preparation separate from ready-to-eat ingredients.

   Uses 12 large raw shell-on prawns, preferably red-legged prawns (Ang Kar)

2. 2

   Step 2: Slit the back of each shell-on prawn with scissors and remove the dark vein. Cut a deeper slit with a knife to butterfly the prawn without detaching its head or removing the shell.

   Uses Prepared shell-on prawns

3. 3

   Step 3: Pat the butterflied prawns dry with kitchen towel. Mix with the 1 tsp marinade salt and the separate 1 tsp marinade sugar. Marinate in the refrigerator for about 15–20 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients.

   Marinate prawns · 15 minUses Deveined, butterflied shell-on prawns · 1 tsp salt, for the prawn marinade · 1 tsp sugar, for the prawn marinade

4. 4

   Step 4: Wash the eight stalks of curry leaves with clean water and pat them thoroughly dry. Strip the leaves from the stalks and keep the leaves ready; discard the bare stalks.

   Uses 8 stalks curry leaves; wash, dry and strip off the leaves · Clean water, for washing the curry leaves

5. 5

   Step 5: Cut the three chilli padi into small pieces and set them ready for frying.

   Uses 3 chilli padi, cut into small pieces

6. 6

   Step 6: Mix the 100 g Nestum cereal with 2½–3 tbsp icing sugar and the optional 2 tbsp milk powder in a bowl. Keep this cereal mixture ready.

   Uses 100 g Nestum cereal · 2½–3 tbsp icing sugar, for the cereal mixture · 2 tbsp full-cream milk powder, optional

7. 7

   Step 7: Take the marinated prawns from the refrigerator. Add half of a beaten egg (½) and the 3 tbsp coating flour, then mix gently until the prawns are coated. Add a little extra plain flour only if needed to complete the coating.

   Uses Cold marinated prawns · ½ egg, beaten, for coating · 3 tbsp plain flour, for coating · A little extra plain flour, only if needed to coat the prawns

8. 8

   Step 8: Pour the 500 ml frying oil into a suitable wok or deep pan and heat it until hot enough for deep-frying. Have the coated prawns and a clean kitchen-towel-lined plate ready before frying.

   Uses 500 ml oil, for the shared deep-frying bath

9. 9

   Step 9: Fry the coated prawns in small batches for about 2 minutes per batch, turning gently, until golden and the flesh is pearly or white and opaque throughout. The prawns will curl, but check the flesh rather than relying on the curve alone. Lift each batch onto the clean kitchen-towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the frying oil in the pan. Repeat with the remaining coated prawns.

   Fry prawn batch · 2 minUses Hot shared frying-oil bath · Only the coated prawns selected for each frying batch, leaving any loose coating behind

10. 10

    Step 10: Turn off the heat and carefully pour the used frying oil into a heatproof bowl. Return the wok to low heat and add all 60 g butter. Let it melt gently without browning or burning.

    Uses Only the used frying oil left in the pan after lifting out the cooked prawns · 60 g butter

11. 11

    Step 11: Add all the dried curry leaves and chopped chilli padi to the melted butter. Fry over low heat until the curry leaves are crisp, watching closely so they do not burn.

    Uses Melted butter in the wok, separate from the removed frying oil · All leaves stripped from the eight washed, dried stalks, excluding the discarded stalks · All chopped chilli padi

12. 12

    Step 12: Add all the prepared cereal mixture. Fry over low heat for about 2–3 minutes, checking at 2 minutes and stirring, until the icing sugar is incorporated and the cereal is golden and crisp. Watch closely because the cereal burns quickly.

    Toast cereal mixture · 2 minUses Butter with crisp curry leaves and chilli · Prepared Nestum, icing-sugar and optional milk-powder mixture

13. 13

    Step 13: Return all the drained fried prawns to the cereal mixture. Toss gently over low heat just until the prawns are well coated and hot throughout.

    Uses Golden cereal mixture with butter, curry leaves and chilli · All the cooked prawns lifted and drained onto the plate, excluding oil left in the frying pan

14. 14

    Step 14: Plate the hot prawns with the crisp cereal from the wok and serve immediately.

    Uses Cooked prawns with their crisp cereal coating for serving