Japanese Fried Prawns

Ingredients:

8 large prawns 

1 cup plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

2 cups Panko, Japanese breadcrumbs

Cooking oil (for deep frying)

Tartar Dipping Sauce:

1 hard-boiled egg (peeled)

1/4 yellow onion (finely chopped)

2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise Kewpie

Salt

Ground black pepper

Methods:

1. Prepare the dipping sauce by cutting the hard-boiled egg into small cubes and mixing it with chopped onion and Japanese mayonnaise in a bowl.  Season with salt and ground black pepper, to taste.  Place it in the fridge to keep cold.
2. Peel the prawns, leaving the tails on.  Devein and rinse the prawns.  Make a few shallow vertical slits on the underside of each prawns to prevent curling during frying.  Pat the prawns dry with paper towels and set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine plain flour, salt, egg and milk.  Whisk well until  combined.  Set the batter aside.  If the batter is too thick, add a little more milk.
4. Place the Panko breadcrumbs onto a shallow plate.  Hold the prawn by the tail, dip it into the batter to coat evenly, then roll it in the Panko breadcrumbs.  Lightly press the breadcrumbs onto the prawns to ensure an even coating.  Repeat the process for the remaining prawns.
5. Fill a deep pot with oil and heat until hot.  Use a wooden skewer to test whether the oil is ready for frying.  Deep fry the prawns until golden brown and crispy on both sides.  Remove the prawns with a strainer and drain them on a plate lined with paper towels.
6. Place the fried prawns on a serving dish and enjoy the prawns while hot with the cold dipping sauce.

This recipe is adapted from 'Rasa Malaysia' with a slight adjustment to suit my cooking preference.