Spicy Prawns Balls on Deep Fried Basil - a crowd pleaser and surprise treat

Year-end holidays always have my mind set on feasting, gobbling, munching, lunch/dinner gathering. Anything to do with eating.

I remember when I was younger, the sure-find food to be found on party tables would be fish balls. In parts of Asia, this is one of the most traditional and most finger-friendly party food of all times - just pierce them through with a skewer or toothpick and pop them in your mouth (remember to bite and chew, don't get too excited to swallow the entire fishball and get choked!).

How about re-creating the traditional fishball to something new for Monthly Mingle - Traditional Feasts ? Something to surprise your guests and win over all their taste buds. A traditional finger-food with a new twist that will fit snugly on the traditional feast table. Retaining the finger-friendly aspect of them being round, I'm sure these Spicy Prawn Balls on Deep-Fried Basil would be a crowd pleaser :)


Spicy Prawn Ball on Deep-Fried Basil
Ingredients:
-12-16 shelled prawns
-2tsp curry powder
-1/2 tsp Tom Yum paste
-1tsp brown sugar
-1 egg white
-basil leaves, deep-fried



Directions:
A- Deep-frying basil : Heat 2 cups oil in wok until almost smoking and drop in handfuls of leaves so they turn brilliant green and crisp in seconds. Lift onto paper towels with a slotted spoon. Serve quickly, sprinkled over other dishes just before serving so the leaves don't have time to lose their crispness. Or pass a bowl of them around on their own for a new sensation in flavour and texture.

B- Prawn balls
1. Chop the shrimps with cleaver till reduced to chunky paste
2. In a mixing bowl, add in all ingredients and mix well in one direction (to make it stay in shape during mixing)
3. Shape paste into small rounds
4. Set frying plan over medium-high heat and fry for 45secs-2mins(depending on size of balls) till golden brown (Note: don't overcorwd the frying pan. Do in batches)
5. Drain well on paper towels and serve hot



Faintly aromatic with the use of curry powder. This will be a crowd pleaser and surprise treat of appetizer :)



Get ready your toothpicks or mini-cocktail skewers!

Attack!

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31 comments:

  1. I'm ready with my toothpicks ^_^

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  2. you know, in Indonesia we have "otak-otak goreng" translated to deep-fried brains! nothing to do with brains, mind you, they're made of fish paste too and eaten dip into peanuty sauce. so yeah, looking at your pictures remind me of otak-otak :D

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  3. oh....I love this. I can finish all the prawn balls on your plate! Are you back from Taiwan already?

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  4. Those look absolutely amazing, the kind of appetizer I could eat and eat!

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  5. Nice one! I wish I live nearby you so that I could have those... :P

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  6. I love this! Hmmm...I bet it´s really spicy with tom yum paste...yummy.

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  7. i love fried basil so much it looks so pretty but splatters so bad! these look delicious!

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  8. Okay..okay..attacking!! Simply love this and it's my hubby favorite too. He has to order this at Dim Sum restaurant everytime.

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  9. Oh yes. This is perfect party fingerfood. Love it. Thanks for entering it!

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  10. Mouth watering.

    Would like to try this dish one day. Is it very spicy?

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  11. I am so ready to attack. I would need a whole platter of that!

    I love deep-fried basil. I tried it for the first time at this "fancy" thai restaurant in Sydney.yumm!!

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  12. These prawn balls look like the perfect party food, Tiger! They look and sound so delicious. The fried basil is such a fantastic idea too, adds color and texture..

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  13. p/s: I just saw that you were away. Hope that you had a great time (assuming that you are back?)

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  14. Tigerfish - this is so innovative with the fried basil! Looks delicious. I have to admit though that I have never had a prawn...eep!

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  15. I want I want 2 dozens of them please ! Brilliant recipe and combination.

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  16. Ive been holding on to these toothpicks for the longest time but nothing's happening!!!! LOL...

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  17. whoa those look really good! :)
    <===O^.^O===> back! hehe deep fried goodness!

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  18. OOOOOOOpps oooooooouch muuuuuunch !
    we lost...we had too much more than we could chew...thanks to fish ( prawns ?)

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  19. This is probably one of the first things to go at any gathering! Love it.

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  20. yum yum...
    *helps herself to the prawn balls...*

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  21. oh i simply love fish balls , i used to have them practically every day off the streets in Hong Kong.
    These shrimp balls sound n look fantastic. The curry power n tom yum paste is a brilliant addition . I'm soo ready to attack !!

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  22. I seriously did not know that basil leaves can be deep fried and they turn brilliant green somemore!

    Tom Yum paste on prawn balls! That is a nice idea.

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  23. i will definitely attack if i saw that plate..the ppl around it that is..then keep everything for myself..wahaha

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  24. Hello! :)
    Have not been commenting, but still regularly visits your yummilicious blog!

    I simply love all these fried food snacks heh. Prawnballs is definitely my kind of thing, i guess i'd grab all these when i see them hah :)

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  25. i could easily pop all of them in my mouth! hehe.. that looks fantastic and I will probably be one of those greedy people hounding the table....

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  26. andaliman, get set and go!

    eliza, deep fried brains? What a weird name for such tasty treats! :O

    mandy, just back...but only for a short while. These days, the move is gettin me crazy and sick :(

    lydia, oh yes! I could eat so many of them.

    arfi binsted, yummmy!

    windy, nice to have u as my neighbour. We could share our food :)

    retno, I just added a lil' TY paste, so it was alright. Not too spicy.

    aria, hahahha....splitter splatter all over! You are right! :P

    little corner, does the Dim Sum restaurant have this?

    meeta, thanks for hosting!

    nate, it taste a bit like otak otak...just that it's seafood and it's deep fried.

    judy, not really. If can't take the spice, reduce the amt. of curry powder and TY paste even more!

    nora, we are all ready...to attack! :D I'm back but will be away soon again :(

    oh for the love of food, I would go for these at any parties. But deep frying basil is tricky. Splatters quite aggressively.

    hillary, are you allergic to prawns?

    RM, for a udang lover like you....i think 2 dozen shd be enough.

    wmw, poke lah!

    buddingcook, welcome back!

    team bsg, eat slowly, don't choke leh!

    cynthia, agree! I see a "fight"!

    ECL, how come eat only, don't talk :P

    kate, love fish balls, prawns balls, cuttlefish balls!

    wilfrid, TY paste inside that.....yummmy you know ;)

    "joe", tt's a good strategy! :D

    zhengning, welcome back from your Os!

    daphe, it's ok....we are all greedy and hungry.

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