a recipe for fried prawns in batter called cucur udang (Prawn Fritters). “Jemput jemput udang” is another name for Cucur Udang, which is a combination of the words “invitation” and “shrimps” in Malaysian slang. As the fritters are so small, they are called “jemput.”

I first introduced you to Malay cuisine in this post a few months back. Today, Mastura of Foodilicious, a great Penang food blogger and photographer, has joined as a guest writer. She creates beautiful and sinfully delicious Malay food and many other dishes.

Mastura, a mother-daughter duo from Malaysia, writes about street cuisine, baking, and fine dining in her blog Foodilicious. Foodilicious has taught me a lot about Malay cooking, and I hope it does the same for you. 🙂

“Cucur Udang,” or prawn fritters, will be my special Malaysian dish. Prawn fritters, a national favorite served as an evening tea snack or an appetizer to dinner, are a must-have for any Malaysian.

“Jemput jemput udang” is another name for Cucur Udang, which is a combination of the words “invitation” and “shrimps” in Malaysian slang. As the fritters are so small, they are called “jemput.”

Fries made with onion, anchovies (cucur), sweet corn (cucur Jagung Manis), and hippo (cucur Badak) are some of Malaysia’s other most beloved snacks and they’re all popular with locals. Cucur Udang, a traditional Malay meal, is one of my family’s favorites.

What is the flavor of Cucur Udang? Fresh shrimp, crunchy sweet corn kernels, and a subtle spiciness are all present in this dish, which has an outer crust that is golden brown and crisp on the outside but soft on the inside. Savory to the max!

When we have Cucur Udang, we dip it in sweet chili sauce or peanut sauce, but it is also good on its own.

Enjoy!

What is the average number of calories in one serving?

• Each serving of this recipe contains only 224 calories.

With this recipe, what are its complementary dishes?

I’ve compiled a collection of recipes that are both healthy and quick enough to prepare on a weeknight.

• FRIED RICE
• MEE SIAM (SPICY RICE VERMICELLI)
• NYONYA FISH CUSTARD WRAPPED WITH BANANA LEAVES (OTAK-OTAK)
• ASIAN FIVE-SPICE CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 200 g (7 oz.) plain flour, or self-raising flour
• 1/2 green onion, chopped into small pieces
• 1/2 cup cooked corn kernels
• 1 teaspoon chili paste, optional, but makes the color nicer
• 80 g (2 oz.) small fresh shrimps, beheaded
• 1 red chili, thinly sliced
• 3 chives, cut to 1-inch strips (2 cm)

Instructions

1. Pour in the water and flour and whisk until the dough is smooth. There should be a good balance between the thickness and wateriness of the texture.
2. Add the chopped onions, chives, sliced chiles, corns, and prawns and mix.
3. Cooking oil in a big pot to a simmer (a deep fryer would be perfect). Cucur udang can be cooked once the oil has reached the right temperature.
4. Cook the cucur udang by dropping spoonfuls into the hot oil. Don’t cram too many pieces into the pan at once; they need space to cook until golden brown for 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Serve right away or keep it in an airtight container for later use. To feed a family of four, this dish yields roughly 20 cucur udang.