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Krupuk, kerupuk, or kroepoek in Indonesia; keropok in Malaysia; kropek in the Philippines; bánh phồng tôm in Vietnam; prawn crackers in British English, shrimp chips or shrimp crackers in American English; is a popular snack in parts of East and Southeast Asia. Krupuk are deep fried crackers made from prawns and starch.
Types
There are a number of variations on krupuk, many of which are made with seafood, but occasionally with fruits, nuts or vegetables; these variations are more usual in southeast Asia. Indonesia has perhaps the largest variety of krupuk. Sidoarjo in East Java and Garut in West Java are major producers of krupuk, and many recipes originate from there. A common variation, called emping is made from melinjo (Gnetum gnemon) nuts.
In Malaysia, krupuk are usually made by grinding fish, prawns, squid or vegetables into a paste, mixing with sago and then deep-frying it. It comes in three main forms: keropok lekor which is long and chewy, keropok losong (steamed) and keropok keping which is thin and crispy. It is frequently served with dipping sauces.
Prawn based krupuk are the most widely available in the west, and are white or light brown in colour. Despite the high amount of shrimps used, any shrimp taste is usually quite subtle. Perhaps the most common form is the Indonesian krupuk udang, made with dried shrimp and hence a light shade of pink.
In Chinese cuisine, prawn crackers may use food coloring (including shades of white, pale pink, green and blue), and tend to be lighter and non-spicy. Prawn crackers are a traditional complimentary side dish and may accompany takeaway Chinese food in Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Shrimp chips are usually served with roasted chicken dishes in Chinese restaurants.[citation needed]
Preparation
Krupuk are made by mixing prawns, tapioca flour and water. The mixture is rolled out, steamed, sliced and sun dried. Once dry, they are deep-fried in oil ( which must be at high heat before cooking). In only a few seconds they expand from thumb-sized semi-transparent chips to white fluffy crackers, much like popcorn, as the small bubbles of air trapped in the flexible chips expand. If left in the open air for more than a few hours (depending on humidity), they start to soften and become chewy and therefore are ideally consumed within a few hours of being fried. Storing the crackers in a low humidity environment or an airtight container will preserve the crispness. Packets of unfried prawn crackers may be purchased in oriental stores, or stores that specialise in Asian cuisine. In the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, France and Australia they are also widely available in general supermarkets.
Most varieties of krupuk can also be prepared in a microwave oven, in which a few discs can be cooked in less than a minute. This will usually cause them to cook and expand in a way similar to when they are deep fried. For small quantities, this method is less messy, faster and healthier, as the krupuk do not become as oily.
External links
- Recipe for making home-made krupuk crackers.
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