Alan Davidson

Prawn Crackers

Appears in
Oxford Companion to Food
Oxford Companion to Food

By Alan Davidson

Published 2014

  • About

prawn crackers are a product of SE Asia, well described by Charmaine Solomon (1996):

Large, crisp, deep-fried crackers popular in Indonesia and Malaysia, where they are called krupuk udang and Vietnam, banh phong tom. Sold in packets in dried form, they are made from starch (usually tapioca flour), salt and sugar, together with varying amounts of prawn or fish. They are sun dried and keep very well.

The same author goes on to say that the best prawn crackers are large ones from Indonesia, containing more prawn than their less expensive rivals. She regards those from China as a possible substitute; flavour and texture are less good but they come in an assortment of vivid colours.