Crispy Fried Prawns in Kataifi Pastry
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Saturday November 28 2009
150g/5oz frozen kataifi pastry
25g/1oz plain flour
1 egg
50ml/2fl oz milk
12 fresh Dublin Bay prawns, peeled and veins removed
Groundnut oil, for deep-frying
Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mixed salad leaves lightly dressed with French vinaigrette, to serve
Kataifi is a finely shredded pastry which can be bought in Asian shops. When raw, it looks like vermicelli noodles; when cooked, like a shredded wheat breakfast cereal. It should be treated delicately like filo pastry, and keeps for up to three months in the fridge in its original packaging. Serves four.
1 Allow the pastry to thaw in its wrapping for a minimum of two hours before using. Once thawed it will be pliable, but you must always keep it well covered with a clean, damp tea towel when not in use.
2Place the flour in a shallow dish and season it generously with salt and pepper. In a separate shallow dish, beat the egg with the milk and a pinch of salt.
3Toss the prawns in the seasoned flour until lightly coated, then dip briefly in the beaten egg mixture. Next, wrap the prawns in the kataifi pastry: lay about 5g/ ¼oz of the pastry in a rectangle on a board. Sit a prawn at the end closest to you, across the width of the pastry, then roll it up away from you to completely enclose. Place the wrapped prawns, well spaced apart, on a baking sheet lined with non-stick baking paper. Cover the prawns with clingfilm and chill until ready to use; they will sit happily for up to four hours in the fridge.
4Just before serving, heat the groundnut oil in a deep-fat fryer or a deep-sided saucepan to 160°C/325°F. Cook the prawns in batches of three for about three minutes, turning halfway through with tongs, until crisp, golden brown and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
5Place three prawns on each large serving plate and arrange a small pile of dressed salad to the side. (See book for chilli jam and lemon mayonnaise recipes, which can accompany this dish.)
- Neven Maguire
Irish Independent
