Prawn cracker

Prawn crackers (Indonesian: krupuk udang) are a deep-fried snack made from starch and prawn. They are a common snack food in Southeast Asian cuisine, but they are most closely associated with Indonesia. They have also been adapted into East Asian cuisines,^[2][3] where the similar Japanese kappa ebisen (かっぱえびせん) and Korean saeukkang are popular snacks.

History

According to the culinary historian Fadly Rahman, krupuk (crackers) have been around in Java since the 9th or 10th century.^[1] The Batu Pura inscription mentions krupuk rambak, which are crackers made from cow or buffalo skin, that still exist today as krupuk kulit, and are usually used in the Javanese dish krechek. Krupuk spread across the archipelago, with varying ingredients, notably fish and prawn. From Java, krupuk spread to coastal areas of Kalimantan, Sumatra, to the Malay Peninsula.^[1] The coastal peoples of Kalimantan and Sumatera later developed krupuk made of prawn and fish to make use of leftover sea products.^[4]

According to British chef Will Meyrick, krupuk crackers that use prawns appeared in the Malay peninsula in the 16th century. Legend there states that leftover, crushed prawn heads from a feast were used to make prawn crackers.^[5] Around the 19th century, keropok (crackers) was mentioned in a Malay text that mentions Kuantan in Malay peninsula.^[1] Prawn crackers began to be adopted in foreign countries in the colonial era of the Dutch East Indies around 19th to early 20th century, and are considered as a complement to various Indonesian specialties.^[1] The idea of eating food with prawn crackers was brought by Dutch colonials to the Netherlands.

Preparation

Prawn crackers are made by mixing prawns, tapioca flour and water. The mixture is rolled out, steamed, and sliced. Traditionally, to achieve maximum crispiness, raw crackers are usually sun-dried first before frying, to eliminate the moisture. Once dry, they are deep-fried in oil (which must be at high heat before cooking). In only a few seconds they expand from thumb-sized semi-transparent wafers to white fluffy crackers, much like popcorn, as water bound to the starch expands as it turns into steam.

If left in the open air for more than a few hours (depending on humidity), they start to soften and become chewy and are therefore ideally consumed within a few hours of being fried. Storing the crackers in a low-humidity environment or an airtight container will preserve the crispness for longer.

Prawn crackers of premium quality are aromatic even without additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) and artificial prawn flavourings to enhance the smell and taste.

The fried prawn crackers may be stored in an airtight container for up to three months without preservatives and up to about nine months depending on the amount of preservatives added.

Most varieties of prawn crackers can also be prepared in a microwave oven, in which a few discs can be cooked in less than a minute. This will usually cause them to cook and expand in a way similar to when they are deep-fried. For small quantities, this method is faster and less messy, as the crackers do not become as oily. However, this may cause the cracker to retain a stronger aroma of raw shrimp and the cracker has to be consumed within hours before it softens and loses its crispness.

Variations

Southeast Asia

Prawn cracker is called krupuk udang in Indonesian, and is merely one variant of many sorts of krupuk recognised in Indonesian cuisine. In Indonesia, the term krupuk or kerupuk is used as an umbrella term to refer to this kind of cracker. Indonesia has perhaps the largest variety of krupuk.^[6]

Krupuk udang (prawn cracker) and other types of krupuk are ubiquitous in Indonesia. Examples of popular krupuk udang brands in Indonesia include Finna^[7] and Komodo brand.^[8] To achieve maximum crunchiness, most of this pre-packed raw krupuk udang must be sun-dried first before being deep-fried at home. To cook krupuk, a wok and plenty of very hot cooking oil is needed. Raw krupuk is quite small, hard, and darker in color than cooked ones.^[9] Fishing towns of Sidoarjo in East Java, also Cirebon in West Java, are major producers of krupuk udang.

Prawn crackers are known as keropok in Malaysia. They are one of the most popular snacks in Malaysia and are particularly served at the homes of many during festive celebrations (such as Chinese New Year and Hari Raya).

Prawn crackers are known as kropek (also spelled kropeck) in the Philippines, or by their English names "prawn crackers" or "fish crackers" (especially in mass-produced commercial versions). They are traditionally made from flour (usually tapioca flour), powdered prawns or fish, various spices, and water. Unlike in Malaysia and Indonesia, kropek is typically only eaten as a snack or as appetizers (pulutan) accompanying alcohol, similar to chicharron. They are typically dipped in spicy vinegar-based sauces, most notably sinamak (a native spicy vinegar). Kropek has also been assimilated into Filipino Chinese cuisine, often being served as a side dish to some Chinese Filipino dishes.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

Sa Đéc in southern Vietnam is the home of bánh phồng tôm. The traditional snack is made of ground shrimp, sometimes mixed with cuttlefish, arrowroot flour, tapioca flour, onion, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, cracked black pepper, and salt.^[15] Traditionally the dough is steamed, rolled out, cut into round chips then dried. Another method is to form rolls, steam, and then slice into thin rounds before being dried. Modern production favours oval shapes such that the chips form a "scooper" as an accompaniment to salads (gỏi and nộm). The brand Sa Giang is well known.

A variant is bánh phồng nấm flavoured with nấm hương (shiitake) or nấm rơm (straw mushroom).^[15]

Chinese cuisine

In Chinese cuisine, prawn crackers may use food colouring (including shades of white, pale pink, green and blue), and tend to be lighter and non-spicy. However, in China they are easy to find in supermarkets, yet not popular or common in restaurants or when serving food for friends.

Prawn crackers are considered a snack food, but may accompany takeaway Chinese food in Australia, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Shrimp chips are usually served with roasted chicken dishes in Chinese restaurants overseas (such as white cut chicken and crispy fried chicken).^{[citation needed]}

The Netherlands

Through their historical colonial ties with Indonesia, the Dutch are familiar with Indonesian foodstuffs including the Indonesian prawn crackers. Assorted types of krupuk (Dutch: kroepoek), deep fried crackers made from starch and flavourings, such as prawn or crab, are available in many Indische, or Indo, (Dutch-Indonesian) shops in the Netherlands, which locally are called toko. Prawn crackers are also available in many of the major supermarkets. Kroepoek is a standard part of the repertoire of "Indische" (a word referring to the former Dutch East Indies, present day Indonesia; not to be confused with the Dutch word Indiaas, meaning "from India") restaurants in the Netherlands. It is also served in Chinese restaurants in Belgium and in the Netherlands.

See also

• Fish cracker
• Kabkab
• Kiping
• Krupuk kulit, a food of similar texture and appearance made of beef skin
• List of deep fried foods

References

• v
• t
• e

Indonesian cuisine by ethnicity

Dishes

Common Indonesian dishes	Abon Acar Ayam bakar Ayam goreng Ayam kecap Ayam kodok Bakmi Bakpau Bakso Bakwan Bihun goreng Bubur ayam Bubur kacang hijau Bubur ketan hitam Bubur sumsum Gado-gado Gorengan Gulai Ikan asin Ikan bakar Ikan goreng Jagung rebus Kacang rebus Kari Kari ayam Kari domba Kari kambing Kari udang Kuaci Ketupat Laksa Lontong Macaroni schotel Martabak Mi bakso Mi goreng Mi kuah Nasi campur Nasi goreng Nasi kari Nasi kuning Nasi bakar Otak-otak Panekuk Pastel tutup Perkedel Perkedel jagung Pindang Rendang Rijsttafel Roti bakar Roti bolen Roti meses Rujak Sambal Sambal goreng udang Satay Sayur bayam Sayur sop Semur Serundeng Sop buntut Soto Soto ayam Soto mi Sup ayam Sup ercis Sup makaroni Sup wortel Tahu Tahu goreng Telur asin Telur pindang Tempeh Tumis kangkung Tumpeng
Acehnese	Meuseukat Mi aceh Mi caluk Nasi gurih Sate matang
Arab	Asida Falafel Hummus Kofta Manakish Katayef Nasi kabsah Nasi mandi Maamoul Marak Roti maryam Roti pita Saltah Shawarma Tabbouleh Tharid
Balinese	Babi guling Betutu Be urutan Iga babi Laklak Lawar Matah Nasi bali Nasi jinggo Pai susu Rawon babi Rujak kuah pindang Sate babi Sate lilit Soto babi Tipat cantok
Banjarese	Bingka Laksa banjar Pekasam Soto banjar
Batak	Arsik Babi panggang Karo Dali ni horbo Dengke mas na niura Itak gurgur Lampet Manuk napinadar Mi gomak Na tinombur Ombusombus Pagit-pagit Pohulpohul Saksang Sasagun Sate kerang Tipatipa Tuktuk
Betawi	Asinan betawi Bubur cha cha Kerak telor Ketoprak Ketupat sayur Laksa betawi Lontong sayur Mi kangkung Nasi goreng kambing Nasi kebuli Nasi uduk Nasi ulam Pindang Roti buaya Roti gambang Rujak juhi Sate taichan Sayur asem Semur jengkol Soto betawi Soto kaki Soto tangkar Sup kambing
Buginese and Makassar	Burasa Coto makassar Dangke Jalangkote Kaledo Konro Mi kering Pallubasa Sop saudara
Chinese	Babi hong Babi kecap Bak kut teh Bakkwa Banmian Bihun goreng Cakwe Cap cai Chai tow kway Char kway teow Cha sio Fu yung hai Fish ball Haisom cah Ifumi Kembang tahu Kepiting saus tiram Kuaci Kwetiau ayam Kwetiau goreng Kwetiau siram sapi Lapchiong Locupan Lontong cap go meh Lumpia Mi ayam Mi lor Mi pangsit Mi tarik Mun tahu Nasi ayam hainan Nasi bebek Nasi campur Nasi tim Ngo hiang Pangsit Popiah Rujak shanghai Sapo tahu Sate babi Sekba Siomay Soto Sup hisit Sup sarang burung Swikee Tahu sumedang Tauge ayam Tee long pan Telur pitan Telur teh Tong sui Yong tau fu Yusheng
Cirebonese	Empal gentong Docang Kue gapit Mi koclok Nasi jamblang Nasi lengko Tahu gejrot
Gorontalese	Binte biluhuta Sate Tuna Ayam iloni Sagela Ilahe Bilentango Sate Balanga Ilabulo Nasi kuning cakalang Buburu Bubur sagela Nasi goreng sagela Tabu Moitomo Ikan iloni Pilitode
Indian	Ayam mentega Ayam tandori Chapati Chutney Dosa Idli Laddu Kari kambing Kari kepala ikan Korma Modak Naan Nasi biryani Raita Roti canai Sambar Samosa Satti Sorru
Indo	Ayam kodok Babi panggang Bitterballen Erwtensoep Hutspot Makaroni schotel Oliebol Ontbijtkoek Pannenkoek Poffertjes Shepherd's pie Spekkoek
Javanese	Apem Arem-arem Ayam bumbu rujak Ayam geprek Ayam goreng kalasan Ayam penyet Bakso Bakpia Bakpia pathok Botok Brongkos Buntil Gudeg Iga penyet Kamir Kelan antep Krechek Kuluban Lepet Lontong balap Lontong dekem Lontong kupang Lumpia Lumpia goreng Lumpia semarang Sumpia Mendoan Mi bakso Mi goreng Mi jawa Mi rebus Nasi ambeng Nasi bebek Nasi bogana Nasi empal Nasi gandul Nasi goreng Nasi goreng jawa Nasi kare Nasi kucing Nasi liwet Nasi megono Nasi pecel Nasi tempong Opor Opor ayam Pecel Pecel ayam Pecel lele Rambak petis Rawon Roti ganjel rel Roti konde Rujak cingur Rujak soto Sambal ulek Sate ambal Sate blora Sate kambing Sate hati Sate kelinci Sate kikil Sate klatak Sate madura Sate ponorogo Sate tegal Sate udang Sayur lodeh Selat solo Serundeng Soto babat Soto ceker Tahu campur Telur pindang Tempe bacem Tempe goreng Tempe mendoan Timlo [id] Tongseng Trancam Tumpeng Urap
Madurese	Rujak Rujak cingur Sate madura Serundeng Soto madura
Malay	Amplang Ayam goreng Ayam pansuh Bubur cha cha Bubur pedas Cincalok Epok-epok Gulai Ikan bakar Ikan patin Kangkung belacan Kari Kemplang Laksa Mi kari Mi rebus Nasi berlauk Nasi briyani Nasi dagang Nasi goreng Nasi goreng pattaya Nasi lemak Nasi minyak Otak-otak Pekasam Pulut Roti canai Roti jala Roti john Roti tisu Sayur lodeh Siput gonggong Soto Sup kambing Tahu goreng Tempoyak Ulam
Minahasan	Ayam rica-rica Brenebon Cakalang fufu Dabu-dabu Klappertaart Mi cakalang Nasi kuning Panada Paniki Rica-rica Rintek wuuk Tinorangsak Tinutuan Woku
Minangkabau	Asam pedas Ayam pop Balado Daun ubi tumbuk Dendeng Gulai Gulai ayam Gulai kambing Gulai otak Kalio Kepiting saus padang Keripik sanjai Lemang Lontong gulai pakis Nasi kapau Nasi kari Nasi padang Palai bada Rendang Sambal lada muda Sate padang Soto padang Udang balado
Moluccan and Papuan	Asida Babi bakar Bibingka Colo-colo Papeda Puding sagu Sagu Soto ambon
Palembang	Burgo Gulai Kemplang Laksan Lakso Mi celor Nasi minyak Otak-otak Pempek Pindang Tekwan Tempoyak ikan patin
Peranakan	Bubur cha cha Cincalok Laksa Pai ti Swikee
Sasak	Ayam taliwang Plecing kangkung Sate ampet Sate belut Sate pusut
Sundanese	Asinan bogor Batagor Empal gepuk Karedok Kupat tahu Laksa bogor Laksa tangerang Lalab Mi kocok Nasi timbel Nasi tutug oncom Oncom Pepes Rujak tumbuk Sate bandeng Sate maranggi Sayur asem Seblak Soto bandung Tauge goreng Uli bakar
Timorese	Feijoada Ikan bakar Katemak Pastel de nata Se'i

Snacks

Krupuk

Amplang Emping Kemplang Krupuk Krupuk ikan Krupuk kulit Krupuk udang Kripik Kripik sanjai Rempeyek Rengginang

Kue

Agar-agar Apam Ape Arem-arem Asida Bagea Bahulu Bakcang Bakpau Bakpia Bakpia pathok Bangkit Bibingka Bika ambon Bingka Bitterballen Bolen Bolu gulung Bolu kukus Bolu pandan Bugis Bulan Busa Cakwe Cilok Clorot Cubit Cucur Dadar gulung Dodol Donat jawa Donat kentang Gapit Geplak Gethuk Jalangkote Jemput-jemput Kaak Kaasstengels Kamir Karipap Kembang goyang Keranjang Klappertaart Klepon Kochi Kroket Ku Kukis jagung Laddu Laklak Lapis Lapis legit Leker Lemper Lidah kucing Lumpia Lumpia goreng Lumpia semarang Sumpia Lupis Madumongso Makmur Martabak Mangkok Mochi Modak Nagasari Nastar Ombusombus Onde-onde Pai susu Pai ti Panada Pancong Pastel Pastel de nata Pinyaram Pisang cokelat Pisang goreng Poffertjes Popiah Pukis Putri salju Putu Putu mangkok Putu mayang Rangi Rempah udang Risoles Samosa Satu Semar mendem Semprit Semprong Serabi Seri muka Sus Spekulaas Stroopwafel Talam Tapai Timphan Terang bulan Untir-untir Wajik Wingko

Beverages

Alcoholic

Arak Beer Brem Cap tikus Ciu Lapen Saguer Sopi Tuak

Non-alcoholic

Adon-adon coro Angsle Bajigur Bandrek Bir jawa Bir kocok Bir pletok Cendol Chocolate milk Cincau Dadiah Es asam jawa Es buah Es campur Es doger Es durian Es goyobod Es kelapa muda Es kopyor Es selendang mayang Es tebak Es tebu Es teler Hot chocolate Jahe telur Jamu Java coffee Kembang tahu Kopi luwak Kopi susu Kopi tarik Kopi tiam Kopi tubruk Lahang Laksamana mengamuk Legen Milo Moke Ronde Sarsi Badak Indo saparelle Sekoteng Soda gembira Susu kedelai Sweet tea Teh botol Teh krisan Teh liang Teh poci Teh jahe Teh tarik Teh talua Wedang jahe Wedang uwuh

Bumbu

Spices

Adas manis Andaliman Asam jawa Bawang bombai Bawang merah Bawang perei Bawang putih Bunga lawang Bunga pala Cabai rawit Cabai merah Cengkih Daun bawang Daun jeruk Daun kari Daun kemangi Daun pandan Daun salam Jahe Jeruk purut Jeruk nipis Jintan Kapulaga Kayu manis Kecombrang Kencur Kemiri Ketumbar Keluak Kunyit Lengkuas Lada hitam Lada putih Lokio Pala Peterseli Seledri Serai Temu kunci Temu lawak

Seasonings and condiments

Abon Acar Balado Bawang goreng Budu Coconut jam Cuka Dabu-dabu Hagelslag Kecap asin Kecap ikan Kecap inggris Kecap manis Kerisik Lalab Mayones Minyak samin Minyak wijen Minyak zaitun Moster Muisjes Nata de coco Peanut sauce Petis Petis ikan Rica-rica Sambal Sambal goreng teri Serundeng Saus tiram Saus tomat Tapai Tauco Tempoyak Terasi Tongcai Tuktuk Vlokken

Influences and
overseas dishes

• Achat
• Asam pedas
• Ayam penyet
• Babi pangang
• Bami
• Bamischijf
• Begedil
• Biryani
• Bobotie
• Bobotok
• Boeber
• Dendeng
• Kaassoufflé
• Kalu dodol
• Koe'sister
• Lumpia
• Martabak
• Mie goreng
• Mie rebus
• Nasi ambeng
• Nasi goreng
• Nasi kuning
• Nasischijf
• Pechal
• Pisang goreng
• Rawon
• Rendang
• Rojak
• Roti canai
• Satay
• Sayur lodeh
• Serundeng
• Sosatie
• Soto
• Telur pindang
• Tempeh
• Tomato bredie

List articles

• Indonesian beverages
• Indonesian condiments
• Indonesian desserts
• Indonesian dishes
• Indonesian noodles
• Indonesian snacks
• Indonesian soups

Related
topics

• List of Indonesian dishes
• Alcohol in Indonesia
• Jamu
• Bumbu (seasoning)
• Street food of Indonesia
  • Jajan pasar
• Sri Owen
• Nunuk Nuraini

•  Category: Indonesian cuisine