Kropek

Krupuk, kerupuk, or kroepoek in Indonesia; keropok in Malaysia; kropek in the Philippines; bánh phồng tôm in Vietnam; is a popular snack in parts of East and Southeast Asia. Krupuk are deep fried crackers made from starch and other ingredients that usually give the taste. Prawn based krupuk are popular types of krupuk. They are called krupuk udang in Indonesian, prawn crackers in British English, shrimp chips or shrimp crackers in American English, Nuvole di Drago (Dragon's Clouds) in Italian, 炸庀虾片 (fried prawn crisps) in Chinese.

In a budget drinking session, kropek never fails to make the party alive! With just at least 30pesos on hand, you can already have this crispy kropek. Together with your favorite chili-infused vinegar dip, this can be the your best pulutan of the night!

Ingredients:

• Prawn Flavored Chips, such as Ching Kee, as desired
• 4 cups oil for deep-frying, or as needed

 

Preparation:

Heat the oil to deep-fry the prawn chips (prawn crackers) to 360 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 182 degrees Celsius). To find out if the oil is hot enough, either 1) use a deep-fry thermometer to test the temperature, or 2) place a cooking chopstick or a wooden spoon upright in the middle of the wok. If bubbles start forming around the chopstick or wooden spoon immediately, the oil is ready.

Place several chips in the hot oil, separating them if needed. Deep-fry the chips for a few seconds until they puff up (the process takes less than 5 seconds), then remove the chips and drain on paper towels. Lay out a fresh paper towel for each batch of chips before deep-frying.
Prawn crackers taste best served warm. If not serving immediately, store in a sealed container and reheat briefly in a 250 degree Fahrenheit oven (about 120 degrees Celsius) before serving.