Tapas/Appetizer

Deep Fried Prawn Cakes

Ingredients:

- 500 grammes prawns with head on
- 40 grammes pork fat (optional)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- pinch of ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 100 grammes Panko bread crumbs
- 1 to 1-1/2 cups plain flour
- 1 egg
- Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Make sure the prawn has been in the cold part of the fridge for at least a couple of hours before you shell them. You could save the prawn head for sauces.
2. Clean and rub the shelled and devein prawns under cold running water to wash off all slimy substances. Continue doing it until the prawns start to change translucent. Dry them thoroughly with a kitchen or paper towel
3. Put the prawn back into the cold part of the fridge while you are cutting  the pork fat into course mince and set aside. 
4. Take the prawns out of the fridge, cut each one in half and flatten them by bashing them one piece at a time with the flat side a cleaver. Chop the flatten prawns till all become course mince or put them in a food processor. 
5. Put the prawn mince into a big mixing bowl, add the sea salt and cornflour and blend them vigorously with your hand or a fork in one direction. Keep blending in the same direction till the mixture becomes a very sticky paste.
6. Gather all the prawn paste in one hand by grouping them in the same direction as blending, throw the paste back with force into the bowl.  Repeat such gathering and throwing until the paste becomes firm and elastic.This may take 2 mins or more of such action.
7. Add the pork fat mince to the prawn paste, mix well and repeat the gathering and throwing a few more times.  Put the paste into the cold part of the fridge for at least an hour before cooking.
8. While waiting for the prawns paste to turn cold, beat the egg in a bowl, put the flour on one plate and the Panko on another. 
9. Take the prawn paste out from the fridge, use a tablespoon to scoop out a portion on your hand and work it into a ball, then press it flat to form a cake. Repeat this till all the paste is used up. 
10. Coat each cake with plain flour, dust the excess flour off before dipping it into the egg, then cover it completely with Panko. 
11. Heat a wok or a deep fryer with enough oil for deep frying. When the oil is hot, put in the prawn cakes and turn the heat to low. Fry the cakes till they are golden brown ( about 2 to 4 minutes), take them out with a slotted spoon and put them on a wire rack to drain off the excess oil and cool down before serving.

Hint: 

 - To use prawns with head on is to make sure the prawns are frozen without being treated or 

    anything being added, so the paste will be firmer and more elastic. It will be best if 

    live prawns are used in this recipe.

 - The prawns need to be kept cold all the time. To keep the prawn paste in the fridge for at 

    least an hour helps to dry up excess water and make the prawn cakes more spongy in 

    in texture.

 - Best to wet your hand before working on the prawn paste to avoid sticking on the hand.