Japanese Fried Panko Prawns

Sat, 16 November 2019

Serves 2–4 (makes 12 panko prawns)

Ingredients:

12 large uncooked prawns
Plain flour, to coat
Curry powder, to coat (optional)
2 eggs, beaten and seasoned with salt and pepper
Panko, to coat
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
To serve, katsu curry sauce or sweet chilli sauce

Method:

1. To de-shell the prawns, pull off the head and legs with your fingers, and peel away the shell. Do not remove the tails as they look nicer with the tails attached.
2. To de-vein the prawns, check to see if there’s a black line running down the back of the prawn. If so, remove using a toothpick.
3. Wash the pawns under a cold running tap and pat dry with kitchen paper.
4. To straighten the prawns (and to avoid them curling when frying) make a few incisions in the belly, starting in the middle and working towards the tail.
5. Place the flour, beaten egg and panko on three separate plates.
6. Coat the prawns in flour, then egg and finally in panko. Use your hands to lightly press the panko onto the prawns.
7. In a large, heavy-based saucepan, heat the oil to 170ºC. Check the oil temperature by placing some panko in the oil. If the panko floats to the top of the oil and sizzles, turning a golden brown colour slowly, then it’s at the right temperature. If the panko turns a golden brown colour immediately, the oil is too hot.
8. Gently place the panko-coated prawns in the oil and deep-fry for a few minutes or until golden brown. To avoid the oil temperature dropping don’t overcrowd the pan.
9. Arrange the cooked prawns on kitchen paper to absorb any excess oil.
10. Serve the panko prawns with a selection of dips including katsu curry sauce and sweet chilli sauce.