{{short description|Southeast Asian crackers made of prawn and tapioca flour}} {{For|the more general category of Southeast Asian crackers|Krupuk}} {{EngvarB|date=September 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox food | name = Prawn cracker | image = Fried Krupuk Udang.JPG | image_size = 250 | caption = Krupuk udang | alternate_name = | country = Southeast Asia<ref name="Historia-Kerupuk">{{Cite web|title=Kriuk Sejarah Kerupuk|url=https://historia.id/kultur/articles/kriuk-sejarah-kerupuk-DEZwd|first=Randy |last=Wirayudha | date =31 August 2017|access-date=2020-10-11|website=Historia - Majalah Sejarah Populer Pertama di Indonesia|language=id}}</ref><ref name="Did prawn crackers originate from Malaysia or Indonesia, and which country has the better version?"/><ref name="The History and Evolution of Prawn Crackers From Street Food to Mass Production."/><ref name="Kropek: The History of Our Favorite Prawn Cracker"/> | region = | creator = | course = Snack | served = Room temperature | main_ingredient = Deep-fried dried starch and other ingredients, most popularly prawn | variations = Different variations according to ingredients | calories = | other = }} '''Prawn crackers''' are deep-fried crackers made from starch and prawn that are popular as snacks and side dishes across Southeast Asia. They are prepared from a dough of starch (commonly tapioca), ground seafood and seasonings that is rolled, sliced, dried and later fried, during which the slices rapidly expand to a light and crisp texture.
The snack is widespread under different local names. In Indonesia it is known as ''krupuk udang'', while in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and southern Thailand it is called ''keropok udang''. In the Philippines the counterpart is ''kropek'' and in Vietnam the variant ''bánh phồng tôm''. Despite regional differences in terminology, flavouring and customary uses, prawn crackers share a broadly similar method of preparation and form part of a shared culinary tradition across maritime and mainland Southeast Asia.<ref>Alan Davidson ''The Penguin companion to food'' 2002 Page 759 "PRAWN CRACKERS .. described by Charmaine Solomon (1996): Large, crisp, deep-fried crackers popular in Indonesia and Malaysia, where they are called krupuk udang and Vietnam, banh phong tom. Sold in packets in dried form, they are made from starch... The same author goes on to say that the best prawn crackers are large ones from Indonesia, containing more prawn than their less expensive rivals. She regards those from China as a possible substitute; flavour and texture are less good but"</ref><ref>"Charmaine Solomon's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Asian Food" ''Charmaine Solomon, Nina Solomon'' 1996</ref>
== History == Prawn crackers are associated with food practices common in Asia, where seafood, grains and root crops were dietary staples. Early forms were prepared by mixing starch with shrimp, fish or tubers and drying the mixture to extend shelf life. Similar methods are thought to have developed independently in several coastal and island regions of Southeast Asia.<ref name="Did prawn crackers originate from Malaysia or Indonesia, and which country has the better version?">{{Cite web|title=Did prawn crackers originate from Malaysia or Indonesia, and which country has the better version?|url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/well-being/article/3052901/did-prawn-crackers-originate-malaysia-or-indonesia-and|access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="The History and Evolution of Prawn Crackers From Street Food to Mass Production.">{{Cite web|title=The History and Evolution of Prawn Crackers From Street Food to Mass Production.|url=https://essfeed.com/the-history-and-evolution-of-prawn-crackers-from/|access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref>
In the Malay Peninsula, oral tradition attributes the creation of ''keropok udang'' (prawn crackers) to the 16th century, when prawn heads left from feasts were repurposed into crackers.<ref name="Historia-Kerupuk"/><ref name="Did prawn crackers originate from Malaysia or Indonesia, and which country has the better version?"/> A related preparation, kropeck, is found in the Philippines, where it is thought to have been introduced through early contact with Malay communities prior to Spanish colonisation. Typically made from shrimp or fish paste combined with flour and dried before frying, it became a common snack and remains widely consumed.<ref name="Kropek: The History of Our Favorite Prawn Cracker">{{Cite web|title=Kropek: The History of Our Favorite Prawn Cracker|url=https://pepper.ph/blog/kropek-history|access-date=6 September 2025}}</ref>
In Vietnam, ''bánh phồng tôm'' developed in the Mekong Delta, where rice cultivation and shrimp farming were central to local subsistence and trade. Production in Sa Đéc expanded during the Nguyễn dynasty in the 19th century and the crackers circulated through South China Sea trade routes, showing similarities to varieties elsewhere in Southeast Asia. In southern China, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong, shrimp paste mixed with rice flour was used to produce ''xiāpiàn''. Commercial links maintained by Hokkien and Teochew merchants facilitated the movement of these products into Southeast Asia, where they were adapted to local ingredients and preferences.<ref name="The History and Evolution of Prawn Crackers From Street Food to Mass Production."/>
Across the wider region, the production of prawn crackers formed part of the broader tradition of prawn crackers. The use of locally available resources such as cassava, sago, shrimp and fish gave rise to numerous regional variations. Distinct forms developed in areas including Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, Luzon and the Visayas. Long-standing trade and cultural networks enabled the circulation of ingredients and methods, linking these local traditions into a wider Southeast Asian pattern of cracker-making.
== Variations == [[File:Cuisine vietnamienne à Lyon (mai 2017) (1).jpg|thumb|A basket of Vietnamese prawn crackers in Lyon, France]] === Southeast Asia === Prawn crackers are prepared and consumed across much of maritime and mainland Southeast Asia under closely related names. In Indonesia they are most commonly known as ''krupuk udang'', with major production centred in Sidoarjo (East Java) and Cirebon (West Java), where commercial brands such as Finna and Komodo are widely distributed.<ref name="JJK">{{cite web|author=Yohan Handoyo|title=Christmas Crackers|url=http://www.jakartajavakini.com/inside/article/329/christmas_crackers|publisher=Jakarta Java kini|access-date=4 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407073602/http://www.jakartajavakini.com/inside/article/329/christmas_crackers|archive-date=7 April 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sekarlaut.com/products.php?action=category&cID=9|title=PT. Sekar Laut Tbk. :: Products|website=www.sekarlaut.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://komodofoods.com/|title=Home|website=Komodo Foods}}</ref> In neighbouring Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and southern Thailand, the same product is called ''keropok udang'' and is strongly associated with festive occasions including Hari Raya and Chinese New Year.
Elsewhere in the region, the Philippine ''kropek'' (or ''kropeck'') is generally eaten as a snack, often accompanied by vinegar-based dipping sauces and incorporated into Filipino Chinese cuisine.<ref>{{cite web |title=Kropek |url=https://www.aboutfilipinofood.com/kropek/ |website=About Filipino Food |access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kropek |url=https://panlasangpinoy.com/kropek/ |website=Panlasang Pinoy |date=21 May 2011 |access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=KROPEK |url=https://www.tagaloglang.com/kropek/ |website=Tagalog Lang |access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=How Kropek Came to Be: The History of Our Favorite Prawn Cracker |url=http://www.pepper.ph/history-kropek/ |website=How Kropek Came to Be: The History of Our Favorite Prawn Cracker |access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Learn how to cook Shrimp Kropek |url=https://www.pinoyrecipe.net/shrimp-kropek-recipe/ |website=PinoyRecipe.net |date=7 July 2016 |access-date=26 March 2019}}</ref> In Vietnam, the variant known as ''bánh phồng tôm'' is particularly linked with the Mekong Delta, where Sa Giang of Sa Đéc is a leading brand.<ref name="auto">[http://www.congthuongphuyen.gov.vn/default.aspx?page=news&do=detail&category_id=194&news_id=9958 Giới thiệu qui trình công nghệ sản xuất bánh phồng tôm] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120731031332/http://www.congthuongphuyen.gov.vn/default.aspx?page=news&do=detail&category_id=194&news_id=9958 |date=31 July 2012 }} in Vietnamese</ref> Despite differences in naming and customary contexts of consumption, these products share similar methods of preparation and reflect a broader regional culinary tradition.
=== Chinese cuisine === In Chinese cuisine, prawn crackers are often prepared with added food colouring, producing shades such as white, pale pink, green, or blue. They are typically light in texture and non-spicy.<ref name="Homemade Shrimp Cracker or Prawn Crackers">{{Cite web|title=Homemade Shrimp Cracker or Prawn Crackers|url=https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/homemade-shrimp-cracker-or-prawn-crackers/|access-date=19 September 2025}}</ref> While they are widely available in supermarkets across China, they are not commonly featured in restaurants or in meals served to guests.
=== Japan === [[File:HK 將軍澳 TKO 日出康城 LOHAS Park the mall shop Bestmart360 store 蝦片 August 2022 Px3.jpg|thumb|Imported Japanese ''ebi senbei'' (shrimp crackers) displayed for sale in Hong Kong]] In Japan, a related snack known as ''ebi senbei'' (海老煎餅) is popular. Unlike Southeast Asian prawn crackers which are typically made with tapioca starch and massively expand when deep-fried, Japanese ''ebi senbei'' are traditionally made from shrimp mixed with potato starch or rice, and are either baked or lightly fried. They originated in Aichi Prefecture and have a denser, flatter texture compared to Chinese or Southeast Asian prawn crackers.
=== Europe and Australia === In Europe and Australia, prawn crackers are mainly regarded as snack foods but are frequently served as accompaniments to takeaway Chinese meals. In countries such as Australia, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Ireland, they are often included with dishes such as white-cut chicken or crispy fried chicken in Chinese restaurants.
In the Netherlands, the product is known as kroepoek, a term encompassing various types of deep-fried crackers made from starch and flavourings such as prawn or crab. The Dutch familiarity with kroepoek stems from historical links with Indonesia, and it remains widely available in supermarkets, toko (Indo-Dutch shops) and Indische restaurants. It is also commonly served in Chinese restaurants in both the Netherlands and Belgium.
== See also == {{portal|Food|Indonesia|Netherlands|China}} * Fish cracker * Kabkab * Kiping * Krupuk kulit, a food of similar texture and appearance made of beef skin * List of deep fried foods * Skips (snack): A British tapioca snack similar to prawn crackers but smaller in size * Ebi senbei (Japanese Wikipedia article on the Japanese shrimp cracker)
== References == {{reflist}}
{{Indonesian cuisine}} {{Malaysian cuisine}} {{Filipino cuisine}} {{Thai cuisine}} {{seafood}} {{shrimps and prawns as food}}
Category:Animal-based seafood Category:Burmese cuisine Category:Chinese seafood dishes Category:Deep fried foods Category:Hong Kong cuisine Category:Indonesian snack foods Category:Malaysian cuisine Category:Filipino cuisine Category:Shrimp dishes Category:Southeast Asian cuisine Category:Vietnamese cuisine Category:Thai desserts and snacks