How to Make Homemade Prawn Crackers

Prawn Crackers or Shrimp Chips

Prawn crackers (also called prawn-flavored crackers or shrimp chips) are tasty prawn-flavored chips that puff up when deep-fried.

Prawn crackers are very addictive despite the fact that their texture has been compared to Styrofoam. They make a great snack food for kids and adults alike and go very well with beer.

What You Will Need

• A package of prawn-flavored crackers 
• A wok or other equipment for deep-frying
• Oil for deep-frying
• Wooden chopstick or deep-fry thermometer
• Strainer
• Paper towels

Heating the Oil for Deep-Frying

Heat the oil to 360 F/182 C to deep-fry the prawn chips.

To find out if the oil is hot enough either use a deep-fry thermometer or place a cooking chopstick or a wooden spoon upright in the middle of the wok (as shown in the photo). If bubbles start forming around the chopstick or wooden spoon immediately, the oil is ready.

Adding the Prawn Crackers to the Oil

Carefully place 5 to 6 chips in the hot oil, separating them if needed. Adding more than that can overcrowd the wok and lower the oil temperature, making the crackers taste greasy.

Deep-Frying the Prawn Crackers

Deep-fry the chips for 5 seconds or less (until they puff up).

Draining the Prawn Crackers

Remove the prawn crackers from the wok—it's easiest to do this quickly if you have a strainer. Drain the prawn crackers on paper towels. Use a fresh paper towel to drain each batch of chips.

Serve the Prawn Crackers

Prawn crackers taste best served warm. If not serving immediately, store in a sealed container and briefly reheat in the oven before serving.

Peanut sauce is the traditional accompaniment for prawn crackers.

What to drink with prawn crackers? Beer, of course, or perhaps a Johannesburg Reisling.