Cereal prawns

Overview

A beloved zi char classic across Singapore and Malaysia, this dish pairs a crunchy, sandy cereal crumble with juicy shellfish for an aromatic, sweet-savoury bite. It emerged from home kitchens and casual eateries where cooks fused local hawker sensibilities with pantry staples to create a quick, family-style centerpiece that balances fragrance, texture, and gentle heat. The hallmark is a light, crackly coating and a toasty, buttery cereal mixture that clings to every piece, delivering crisp edges without heaviness.

Ingredients

• 600 g medium to large prawns, shell-on, heads on, trimmed
• 30 g butter
• 2 sprigs curry-leaves
• 1 to 2 birds-eye-chili, finely sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 60 ml evaporated-milk
• 4 to 5 tbsp nestum-cereal
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp white-pepper
• 1 large egg-white
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• cooking-oil for shallow-frying

Prep

1. Clean the prawns: snip feelers, trim sharp rostrum tips, and devein while keeping shells on for structure and juiciness. Pat the prawns very dry.
2. Lightly marinate: in a bowl, whisk the egg-white until loose, then add the prawns, sprinkle in the cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and white-pepper. Toss to coat and let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Mix the cereal seasoning: combine the nestum-cereal with the sugar and a small pinch of salt; set aside.
4. Prepare aromatics: slice the garlic, pick the curry-leaves from the stem, and thinly slice the birds-eye-chili.

Cook

1. Heat a wide pan over medium-high and add a shallow layer of cooking-oil. When shimmering, fry the coated prawns in batches without crowding; cook until crisp at the edges and just opaque, about 2 minutes total per batch, flipping once. Transfer to a rack.
2. Pour off excess cooking-oil, leaving a thin film. Add the butter to melt over medium heat, then stir in the garlic, curry-leaves, and birds-eye-chili. Stir-fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
3. Splash in the evaporated-milk and let it foam gently for 30 seconds, stirring to form a light emulsion.
4. Sprinkle the nestum-cereal evenly and stir until toasty and sandy. Season with the sugar and a pinch of salt.
5. Return the fried prawns to the pan and toss to coat thoroughly in the cereal mixture for about 30 seconds. Finish with a dusting of white-pepper.

Serve

Plate immediately so the coating stays crisp. Enjoy as a sharing centerpiece with plain rice or chilled beverages; the crackly cereal crust contrasts beautifully with the succulent interior of the prawns. Adjust heat by adding more or less birds-eye-chili, and balance seasoning to taste with a final pinch of salt and a whisper of white-pepper.

Tips

• Keep the prawns dry before coating so the cornstarch clings well.
• Work over medium heat when toasting the nestum-cereal so the butter browns lightly without burning the garlic.
• Use just enough evaporated-milk to create a thin glaze that helps the nestum-cereal stick.
• Fry in batches; overcrowding cools the cooking-oil and softens the crust.