Prawn cutlet is the new addition to my cutlet or crockett family. Never have I thought that cutlets can be made of prawns. I wondered, prawns, how big they are, could not make cutlet. Then I learn the trick that one should spread the flesh like its two wings to give it a cutlet shape. Of course, you need the big sized tiger prawns for that.

Prawn cutlet is quite heavy as a snack with thick coated envelopes and thoroughly enjoyable with a sip of tea. Try it out.

Ingredients for 2 pieces :

1. Tiger prawn – 2
2. Onion (small) – ½
3. Garlic – 1 or 2 cloves
4. Ginger – less than ½” piece
5. Green chilli – 2
6. Coriander leaf paste – 1 tbspoon heap
7. Tomato sauce – 1 tbspoon
8. Vinegar – 1 teaspoon
9. Mustard oil – 1 tbspoon
10. Egg – 2
11. Breadcrumbs to coat
12. Flour – 1½ tbspoon
13. Baking powder – ½ teaspoon
14. Chilli oil – 1 tbspoon
15. Sugar – 1 teaspoon
16. Salt to taste
17. Cooking oil for deep frying

Procedure :

Remove the shell and head of the prawns, keeping the tail intact. Devein and clean them properly. While deveining, make a deep slit along the center of the prawn and then flat it to give a triangular shape. Hammer the flattened prawns lightly with knife so that the ingredients can go well into it while marination.

Now make a smooth paste with onion, ginger, garlic and green chilies. In a small bowl mix the prepared paste with coriander leaf paste, tomato sauce, vinegar, mustard oil, ½ teaspoon sugar and salt.  Now spread this mixture on the open surface of the prawn and keep it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

After that, spread breadcrumbs on a plate and place the prawns with their bare surface on it. Now coat both the surfaces well with breadcrumbs. Press them by hand on flat work surface to give cutlet like shape. Use a knife to make the cutlets even, through the edges.  Beat a single egg in a bowl and dip the coated prawn into it and again cover with bread crumbs.

Now make a batter with flour, baking powder, chilli oil, remaining sugar, salt and water (as needed). The batter should not be too thick or thin.

Heat sufficient amount of oil for deep frying the cutlets over medium flame.

Now dip the cutlets into the prepared batter and fry as soon as the oil gets moderately hot. Take them out as they turn crispy and golden brown.

Serve them hot with tomato sauce or mustard sauce (kasundi) and salad.

Note :

1. For making chilli oil, heat 1 tbspoon of oil over medium flame. Add 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes or 2 dry red chillies into it. After 2-3 minutes put the gas off, pour the oil in a bowl and let the chillies infuse into it for at least 1 hour. The longer you leave, the hotter oil will be.
2. You can also add Mint leaf paste in the mixture for marination. I am not a big fan of mint flavour, so I skipped that.
3. You can also skip the batter and fry only bread crumbs coated cutlet.
4. The oil should be moderately hot while frying the cutlets otherwise the batter envelope will burn and the prawn inside will remain uncooked.