Prawn cutlets

Crumbed prawn cutlets: the perfect hors d'oeuvre for your next summer soirée

If it’s your turn to host a gathering and you’re after a crowd-pleasing canape, crispy prawn cutlets are your answer. Seafood lovers won’t be able to say no to these golden deep-fried morsels. The recipe is straightforward and shows you how to make prawn cutlets in under 45 minutes. It’s easily doubled if you need to feed a larger group this festive season.  

What are the best prawns to use for this prawn cutlet recipe?

Banana prawns make for great crumbed cutlets because they hold their shape and become medium-firm after cooking. These Australian prawns bring a burst of sweetness and juiciness to each deep-fried cutlet. They are also large enough to shell and butterfly and are a more affordable variety. Their tails aren’t too large, either, so they’re ideal for frying. Tails that are too big may end up chewy instead of crispy. 

Choose banana prawns that have a fresh ocean smell, and that don’t have spots of discolouration or strange-looking slime on them. You can also use tiger or king prawns for this crumbed prawns recipe if you are wanting to splurge a little. They both have a richer, oilier flavour than banana prawns and are large enough to peel and butterfly. School prawns, on the other hand, are best fried whole with their skin on and may not be ideal for a crumb coating, and may also be too small to butterfly properly. 

Can you use frozen prawns for this recipe for prawn cutlets?

Yes, you can use frozen green prawns for this recipe. Defrost the frozen prawns first by soaking them in a large bowl of cold tap water approximately 15 minutes before cooking. Don’t defrost them slowly, as this can lead to an unpleasant mushy texture. Once the prawns are ready to cook, pat them dry before coating them with the breadcrumbs.

Which type of breadcrumbs are ideal for crumbed prawns?

These prawn cutlets are crumbed with Japanese breadcrumbs. These are made by grinding crustless bread into a fine crumb. Japanese crumbs do not absorb as much oil, which means they create an airier crunch with a lighter flavour. It helps to balance the richer umami flavour of a protein, such as prawn. Instead of Japanese breadcrumbs, you can coat the prawns in shredded coconut, cornmeal or vermicelli noodles. If you’d like to try a vermicelli coating, soak the dried noodles in room-temperature water for half an hour, pat dry, and then wrap around each prawn. 

What to serve with crumbed prawn cutlets

For a summer barbecue or sharing-style dinner party, arrange your prawns on a plate or basket lined with some parchment paper. Place an irresistible dip or two that guests can dunk the crumbed prawn cutlet into. Some delicious dipping sauces to try are lime and herb yoghurt dip, honey-chilli sauce or these must-try seafood sauces.

For a cocktail party, place 3 prawns in a paper cone and stick a cocktail skewer into one of the prawns for guests to easily eat as finger food. The dipping sauce can be left on a serving table with a spoon, so guests can drizzle it over the top of the prawns if they wish. 

For a weeknight meal, serve the cutlets with a bed of soft, fluffy rice, and add a side of Asian-style salad, like this crispy noodle salad or asparagus, snow pea and wombok salad. You can also serve them with a curry gravy or chilli jam for that extra punch. Toss these crumbed cutlets through a tomato or creamy pasta dish, or pair the prawns with hot chips or shoestring fries for a fun, takeaway-style dinner.