Episode 313 - Deep Fried Satak

Mantis Prawn? Prawn Mantis? Which is it?

You must be wondering what the heck is Satak? No, I did not mean Satay. It's actually that Mantis Prawn. My Gawd, it was such a great treat I had for dinner yesterday! It is so simple to cook but yet the results are just out of this world. There's not much preparation needed for this delish creature of the sea and it's really really simple to cook it! I must say that the meat is not that much so you got to really savour the taste once you get your hands on them!

To clean, just brush and wash the outer parts of the prawn, cut off some of the small legs (as they don't have meat so you can cook without those) and deveined them.

Deep Fried Satak

Ingredients:

500-600g of Mantis Prawn
1 tbspns salt
A few dashes of Pepper
1/2 cup Corn flour/ Self-Rising Flour

Method:
Marinade Mantis Prawn with salt and pepper. Set aside for a few hours in the fridge. Then toss and coat the mantis prawn before deep frying in hot cooking oil until they turn pinkish orange (similar like shrimps/prawns). Serve rightaway.

Serves: 2

Or..... Cook them with a Fragrant Sauce

Stir fried Mantis Prawn with Fragrant Sauce

Ingredients:

350-400g mantis prawns Seasoning (combined)
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp Chinese Five Spice powder
3-4 tbsp self-raising flour
1 tsp oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp chopped cili padi
1 stalk spring onion, cut into 3cm lengths

Sauce:

1 tsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1½ tsp sugar
1 tsp thick soy sauce
125ml fresh chicken stock

Method:

Rinse and de-vein the mantis prawns. Sprinkle combined seasoning ingredients on the prawns and toss well, then coat with self-raising flour. Deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Dish out and leave aside. Heat oil and sesame oil in a clean wok and fry garlic and cili padi until fragrant. Add sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until sauce is reduced. Return the fried mantis prawns to the wok. Stir and fry until well coated with the sauce. Add spring onion to mix. Dish out and serve.

Fragrant Sauce Recipe from kuali.com

*Tip*: The Mantis prawn can be cut into 2 parts but best to leave it as whole.

How to De-shell a cooked Prawn Mantis

1. Cut the head off.

2. Pry the top shell open from one side.

3. Gently scoop the meat out from the bottom bit with your spoon and enjoy!