Weekly Recipe: Jumbo Prawns By Chef Salil Mehta Of Kebaya NYC

New York City brings together more cultures than just about any other urban area in the world, which makes it a top-tier destination for foodies.

New among its culinary talents, Kebaya is an eatery specializing in Peranakan cuisine, an ethnic group made up of folks with mixed Chinese, Malay and Indonesian heritage. It’s from the folks at Fungi Hospitality, who are also behind Laut, one of the first Malaysian restaurants to receive a Michelin star.

See also: How To Make Cocktails Inspired By Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka

Whether or not you’re able to get a table at the Flatiron district location, chef Salil Mehta wants you to taste a bit of Kebaya’s Peranakan flavors, so he’s sharing his recipe for jumbo prawns with our readers below.

“This recipe was inspired by a popular snack in Singapore that is usually served alongside beer,” chef Mehta says. “It has a salty and crunchy texture that makes it a great companion when sipping on a cold refreshment like that.”

These jumbo prawns combine Asian batter with a Western-style crumble that brings a bit of sweetness to the savory profile. Chef Mehta says this is a serious winner for summer feasts.

“For the perfect crunchy texture and taste, double fry the prawns,” chef Mehta says. “Start by frying at medium heat, then increase the heat and fry again until the prawns are golden and crisp. Don’t forget to season both the prawns and the batter before frying for an extra flavor boost.”

Jumbo Prawns

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Ingredients:

• 2 jumbo prawns clean and deveined
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• ¼ cup rice flour
• A hint of turmeric for color
• 1 cold seltzer water
• Sugar
• Salt
• MSG
• Panko crumbs
• Fresh minced garlic
• Curry leaves

Directions:

1. Mix in the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour and turmeric with the seltze water to make a pancake batter consistency.
2. Add prawns to the batter and deep fry on very high heat twice.
3. To make the crumble, fry the Panko crumbs, garlic and curry leaves at high heat, then cool on a paper towel.
4. Season the prawns with salt sugar and msg, then toss the crispy prawns with the crumble and plate, no sauce needed.

Visit Kebaya in NYC and online for more delicious dishes and inspiration.