Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Crispy Cereal Prawns (Zi Char Style)

Singapore-style zi char crispy cereal prawns — deep-fried prawns tossed in crunchy cornflake-cereal, butter and curry leaves for a sweet-savory hawker favourite.

Crispy Cereal Prawns (Zi Char Style)

About this dish

Crispy Cereal Prawns is a quintessential zi char stall favourite in Singapore, where big prawns are flash-fried and tossed in a crunchy cereal mixture of crushed cornflakes, butter and aromatic curry leaves. You’ll find versions of this at heartland hawker centres and kopi-tiam zi char stalls from Tiong Bahru to East Coast, served family-style for sharing over steamed rice.

This version balances the sweet, salty and buttery notes that make cereal prawns so moreish: a light batter gives a crisp shell while the cereal mix adds texture and a toasty, slightly sweet finish. It’s perfect for weekend family dinners, potlucks or festive spreads like Chinese New Year when you want something impressive but manageable to prepare at home.

Expect a contrast of textures — plump, juicy prawns with a crackly crust and a dusting of crunchy cereal and desiccated coconut, with aromatic pops from curry leaves and a hint of chilli if you like heat. Serve it with plain steamed rice, a cooling achar or sambal on the side, and a cold drink or Tiger beer for the full Singapore hawker-style experience.

Ingredients

  • 500 g large prawns, heads on or off as preferred, shells cleaned, deveined leaving tail-on
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) for coating
  • 200 g cornflakes, roughly crushed (use a ziplock and rolling pin)
  • 30 g desiccated coconut, optional but traditional for extra crunch
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 10-12 curry leaves, washed and patted dry
  • 2-3 bird's eye chillies, sliced (adjust to taste) or 1 red chilli for milder heat
  • 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp condensed milk or 1 tbsp evaporated milk (optional, for a glossy sweet note)
  • 1 tbsp sugar (palm sugar or caster sugar)
  • Juice of 1/2 lime or calamansi, to finish
  • 2 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal for garnish
  • Optional: 1 tbsp balanced curry powder or 1 tsp curry granules for extra aroma
  • Oil for deep-frying, about 1 L depending on your wok

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Prep the prawns: rinse and pat dry with kitchen paper. Make 3 shallow diagonal slits on the underside to prevent curling. Season with salt, white pepper and light soy sauce. Let rest 10 minutes.
  2. Set up dredging station: in a bowl beat the egg. In a separate bowl mix 2 tbsp cornflour with a pinch more salt. Coat each prawn first in cornflour, then dip in egg, shaking off excess.
  3. Heat oil in a wok or deep pot to 170–180°C for deep-frying. Fry prawns in batches 1–2 minutes until just golden and crisp. Do not overcrowd. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to drain.
  4. While prawns drain, make the cereal mixture: in a dry frying pan on medium heat toast the crushed cornflakes and desiccated coconut for 2–3 minutes until fragrant, then set aside.
  5. In a clean wok over medium-high heat melt butter with 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Add sliced garlic and shallots and fry briefly until aromatic but not burnt, about 30–45 seconds.
  6. Add curry leaves and sliced chillies to the wok, fry for another 15–20 seconds until curry leaves crisp and aromatic. If using, stir in curry powder now to bloom the spice for 10 seconds.
  7. Mix in toasted cornflakes and desiccated coconut, sprinkle sugar and condensed or evaporated milk, toss quickly to combine into a slightly sticky crumb mix. Adjust seasoning, taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
  8. Return fried prawns to the wok and toss gently over medium heat for 20–30 seconds to coat thoroughly with the cereal-butter mixture. Keep the heat high enough for quick coating but avoid burning the crumbs.
  9. Finish with a squeeze of lime, scatter sliced spring onions, and immediately transfer to a serving plate so the cereal stays crunchy. Serve hot, family-style with steamed rice or as a zi char sharing dish.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy fresh large prawns from local wet markets or supermarkets like NTUC FairPrice and Sheng Siong; heads-on prawns add extra flavour if you like them.
  • To keep the cereal crunchy, toss prawns in the cereal mix just before serving and use a high heat for a short time — avoid letting the crumbs sit in the wok and go soggy.
  • If you don't deep-fry, shallow-fry on high heat for a good crisp, but adjust time and flip carefully. For less oil, air-fry at 200°C for 6–8 minutes then toss with the cereal mix.
  • Adjust sweetness and salt like a zi char stall — add a little more sugar or condensed milk for a sweeter hawker-style finish, or less for a cleaner savoury taste.
  • Make-ahead: prepare the cereal crumb mix and keep in an airtight container for 1–2 days. Fry prawns just before serving to retain crispness; leftovers are best eaten the same day.
  • If you can't find desiccated coconut, increase cornflakes and add a few extra curry leaves for fragrance. Substitutes at supermarkets: unsweetened coconut flakes or crispy cereal crumbs.

You might also like

More recipes to save for later.