Happee Monkee

These days (weeks, months) the first thing I do when I wake up is check my email and sign into Facebook. I don’t even get up to go to the bathroom or have breakfast; I just reach out for my laptop. I’ve come to realize that it’s an addiction. If I’m not at work, I almost always have my inbox in one tab and Facebook on the other. People scour the newspaper, I look at FB statuses. It’s bloody sad.

I complain that Mr. G is too fond of his TV but he says I’m hooked to my laptop most of the time anyway. Can’t argue with that really.

Today, we were out grocery shopping and when we were at the fruit shop, my eyes lit up at broad beans, corn and spices. Last week it was anchovies and marinated artichoke hearts. Tis is my life now. Excitement over Internet and groceries.

The other day I was looking at some fabulous cooking blogs and stumbled on Su-Yin’s blog (Bread et Butter). She had some very awesome recipes and one of them was this Malaysian snack called Cucur Udang or Prawn Fritters. It’s like thick fat pancakes with prawns in it. Absolutely delicious.

Like Su-Yin, I used to sneak off with one (or two) of those when Mom was distracted. Frying is not my mom’s preferable method of cooking, so when she does it’s a party for us kids.

Us kids. Older but never too old to sneak off with a cucur udang in our mouths.

Prawn Fritters/ Cucur Udang (makes about 12)
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Adapted from Bread et Butter, see here for recipe

Ingredients:

• 250g self-raising flour
• 2 red chillis*, seeded and chopped finely
• 1/4 cup chives, chopped finely
• 1/4 cup coriander, chopped finely
• Corn kernels from one cob of corn
• 200g fresh prawns, roughly diced
• season with salt & pepper
• 1 cup water
• 1 egg
• a pinch of tumeric (optional)
• sweet chilli sauce, to serve
• vegetable oil (like canola) for shallow / deep-frying

Method:

1. Mix dry ingredients together and then add the fresh foods (i.e. prawns, corn, coriander, chives, chillis). Then integrate the water and egg.  Mix well.
2. Heat about 1 cm of oil in a non-stick pan for shallow frying. Or if you prefer crispier fritters, heat 2 – 3 cm of oil.
3. Drop about 1 large tbsp of mixture into the oil, one at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan as it will cool the oil too much. (Resulting in soggy fritters. Ugh.)
4. Cook for about 1 – 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
5. Remove from pan and unto a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil.
6. Serve immediately with sweet chilli sauce.

*Note: Adjust to your heat tolerance

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