The ultimate prawn cracker guide
Prawn crackers, we love them. The large pieces of prawn crackers you get in a plastic bag at the Chinese takeaway, or the prawn crackers you buy at the supermarket to eat with nasi. Prawn crackers come in all shapes and sizes, but which one is actually best with what, and what exactly is what?
Prawn crackers are deep-fried crackers made from starch (such as tapioca, wheat or rice) and other ingredients for flavour. The term kerupuk (as Indonesians call them) comes from the crunchy sound the chip makes when you eat or break it. Besides the popular prawn crackers, there are plenty of other varieties.
Oedang
This is the most basic form of prawn cracker available—you know the ones: those white chips. Also known as prawn crackers. According to my local Asian supermarket, they are best eaten with spicy dishes to soften the flavour a little.
Cassava
Cassava crackers are often a little spicier in flavour and are made from—you guessed it—cassava. They are a crispy snack found in all supermarkets in the Netherlands. Delicious with white rice or milder dishes to give them a little more kick.
Emping
Emping is made from dried seeds. Regular emping tastes slightly bitter, but there is also a sweet, hotter variety of emping. The best emping can be found at the Asian supermarket in a very large bag—great for snacking on.
Kroepoek kulit
Kulit is made from the deep-fried skin of cows or water buffalo. In some parts of Indonesia, where the Muslim community is smaller, it is also made from pork skin. In Indonesia, it is often eaten with nasi padang or saté padang. In Java, it is also an essential part of krechek, a spicy stew.
Kroepoek kemplang (ikan)
Kemplang is a prawn cracker made from fish other than prawns. It is often made from wahoo (ikan), a saltwater fish. The more expensive version of this cracker is made from chitala fish. This type of cracker is widely found in Indonesia.
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