Although simple, cucur udang or prawn fritters is actually a technical dish to prepare. You need to know the proper ratio of flour to water and get the perfect temperature of the oil.
One thing for sure is that cucur udang is addictive. Here’s special recipe from Zaleha Kadir Olpin, the famous rendang lady of Masterchef UK Season 14.
If you are wondering how Zaleha likes her cucur and how she made the judges on Masterchef swoon over it, here it is for you to try!
Ingredients
- 150g fresh prawns, tailed, deveined and cleaned
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 medium white onion – diced
- 3 stalks of spring onion, chopped
- 1 cup of bean sprouts, tailed and clean
- 1 cup of shredded carrots
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 2 1/2 cups of water
- 1 egg
- Salt to taste
Sweet Chilli Sauce
- 5-6 tablespoons of white vinegar
- 100g of white sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons of chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon of corn-starch, mixed in 3 to 4 tablespoons of cold water
- Salt to taste
Method
- Mix the flour and baking powder and add in 2 cups of water.
- Add in all other ingredients except the egg and mix to form a slightly thick batter.
- Add in the beaten egg. Mix again.
- Cut the prawns into small chunks and add into the batter. Add in the half cup of water a little bit at a time. The batter has to be slightly loose but not runny.
- Leave it aside for 15 minutes for the baking powder to work.
- Heat oil in a small wok. Take a rounded metal ladle and soak it in the hot oil for few seconds. Once the ladle is hot, scoop a tablespoon of the batter into the hot ladle and quickly submerge the ladle back into the oil. Wait for a few seconds and the dollop will quickly loosen up from the ladle and come of it.
- Keep an eye on the fritters, turning it occasionally. Once light golden brown, scoop out and drain them on paper towels. Repeat the process.
- Serve with sweet chilli sauce.
Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Put all ingredients in a heavy pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in the corn-starch paste. Simmer for further 2 minutes. Ready to serve.
So, do you feel your own version of cucur udang is worthy enough to secure you a place on Masterchef?
Well, you let us know by placing the hashtag #butterkicap or mention us @butterkicap on Instagram and/or Facebook, and we will share it with Zaleha!
More About Zaleha
Love her recipes? Make sure you catch Zaleha on MasterChef UK series 14 on BBC Lifestyle (unifi ch 512). The series will also be on BBC Player (www.bbcplayer.com) if you need to catch-up on episodes. By the way, the BBC Player is free to all unifi Broadband subscribers for 30 days. So, don’t miss out!
