Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crabs and King Prawns

Deep-Fried Soft Shell Crabs and King Prawns

(serves 4)

8 soft shell crabs, fresh or frozen (then thawed and WELL drained)

12 king prawns, raw with shells removed but tails on

1/2 cup cornflour/cornstarch

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/2 tsp each: pow­dered gin­ger, pow­dered Sumac, pow­dered cayenne, gar­lic salt

rape­seed or canola oil, enough to sub­merge seafood

Dry seafood com­plete­ly and set on a plate, hav­ing LOTS of paper tow­els ready, stacked up nearby.

Mix flour and bread­crumbs and all seasonings.

Dredge the seafood thor­ough­ly in the mix­ture, squish­ing it in with your fin­gers.  Not much sticks, but it is the fla­vor that counts.

When the oil is hot enough that a bread­crumb dropped in fries instant­ly, place seafood gen­tly in the oil in a sin­gle lay­er, cook­ing for one minute, then turn­ing and cook­ing for 30 sec­onds more.  Drain on paper tow­el.  Serve with a chilli mayo if you like (sim­ply may­on­naise mixed with chilli sauce to your taste, with lemon juice).