Comforting and minimalist, this recipe is inspired by Thai flavours and its star is the coconut. Coconut milk gives the prawns a beautiful flavour and the toasted coconut flakes add an extra dimension to the panko crust. This recipe is simple, its flavours are bold and clean, and it tastes great with chili mayo.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook Time

    20m

Ingredients

  • 20 prawns (30 count size)
  • 100 gm panko crumbs
  • 50 gm flour
  • 50 gm toasted coconut flakes
  • 50 gm chili mayo
  • 20 gm lemon grass, finely chopped
  • 50 ml coconut milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 fresh red chilli, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp basil, finely chopped
  • Zest of one lemon
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Refined oil for frying

Preparation

  1. Wash, clean and devein the prawns, keeping the tail intact. Pat dry.
  2. Marinate the prawns with coconut milk, fresh red chilli, basil, lemon zest, lemon grass, salt and pepper.
  3. Take three bowls. In the first, place the flour. In the second, whisk eggs lightly with a fork and keep ready. In the third, mix panko and toasted coconut flakes.
  4. Take a marinated prawn. First coat it lightly in the flour, then dip it in the egg wash, and then cover it with the panko, before keeping it on a tray. Repeat the process, one by one, with all the prawns.
  5. Heat oil in a fryer, maintaining the temperature at 180 degree Celsius, and fry the prawns in small batches until they are golden brown.
  6. Serve the fried prawns hot with chili mayo.
Prashanth Puttaswamy

Prashanth Puttaswamy

Prashanth Puttaswamy is the Executive Chef at Cantan (Bengaluru) and The Fatty Bao (Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata). A veteran of the Olive Group of restaurants, with more than 18 years of experience, he is currently working towards reviving interest in regional Chinese cuisines at Cantan. Like many contemporaries in China, he is reimagining food from the regions of Guangzhou, Hunan, Shanghai and Sichuan, in an effort to bring them into the modern era.

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