Rejuvenating another zhi char classics !!! Cereals Butter Prawns !
I used to purchase premix to cook this dish… but now that I have gotten the right formula for it, I guess I can give the premix a miss forever from now !
Previously I had attempted one recipe that consists of egg together with cereals and realize that the dish turns out to be quite oily as egg absorbs oil readily and having it cooked together with the cereal somehow make them become soggy instead of crunchy. So this time, I did the basics and uses only the cereals and it turn out to be very good, just like what you would enjoy from the zhi char stall. And if you are fast hand fast leg cook, you can jolly well whip up this dish in 30 minutes.
Cereals Butter Prawns from the zhi char stalls are often cooked with the prawns’ shells intact which I really dislike. Although some people said the prawns’ shells can be eaten together after they are deep fried, but I had always find it to be too choking for me. Otherwise, I would have to spend time trying to remove it carefully, so that I could enjoy the prawns meat beneath. So when I decide to cook this at home, I make sure I remove the shells completely prior to cooking it so that I could enjoy the dish wholesomely thereafter.
There are many kinds of cereals in the market. What you really need is the original version from Nestum. Yes, only this particular brand and kind. No others is a better fit than this. In fact I am someone who doesn’t take any cereals or oats on its own but when it comes to the cereals butter prawns, I just have to cave in immediately. Hahaha !! It’s probably the combination of butter, curry leaves and sweetness of it all that lures me to it. Cereals by itself are just too plain for my liking !

Thanks to the kind folks at PurelyFresh who have generously provide me with these fresh prawns to stir up this dish ! In fact, I used only half of the portion for the cereal oats prawns, and another half for a mystery recipe coming up next week ! So stay tuned and keep coming back to the blog to whet your appetite ! Hehehe !!
Step 1 : Combine the egg, self raising and corn flour for the prawn batter and stir till the texture is smooth. Then combine the ingredients for the seasoning in a separate bowl.
Step 2 : Heat up some cooking oil for deep frying the prawns. Coat the prawns with the prawn batter and deep fried in the hot oil till the prawns turn red and batter slightly golden brown. Drain and set aside.
Step 3 : Melt the butter in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the chili padis and curry leaves and stir fried till fragrant.
Step 4 : Add the deep fried prawns from Step 2 above and stir well to ensure that the prawns are well coated with the melted butter.
Step 5 : Add the combined seasoning and stir to ensure all the prawns are well coated with the cereals. Stir fried for a further 2 to 3 minutes till the cereals turn golden brown and and fragrant. Dish and serve hot.
Enjoy !!
- 8-9 pcs of medium to large size prawns
- some cooking oil (for deep frying)
- 3 chili padis
- 3 sprigs of curry leaves
- 30g butter
- For the Prawns Batter:
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp self raising flour
- 1 tbsp corn flour
- For the Seasoning:
- 50g Nestum cereals (original flavor)
- 1 tbsp milk powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp chicken powder
- Combine the egg, self raising and corn flour for the prawn batter and stir till the texture is smooth. Then combine the ingredients for the seasoning in a separate bowl.
- Heat up some cooking oil for deep frying the prawns. Coat the prawns with the prawn batter and deep fried in the hot oil till the prawns turn red and batter slightly golden brown. Drain and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a wok or deep frying pan. Add the chili padis and curry leaves and stir fried till fragrant.
- Add the deep fried prawns from Step 2 above and stir well to ensure that the prawns are well coated with the melted butter.
- Add the combined seasoning and stir to ensure all the prawns are well coated with the cereals. Stir fried for a further 2 to 3 minutes till the cereals turn golden brown and and fragrant. Dish and serve hot.
I could eat plenty of these yummilicious prawns especially shelled. Thanks for the great idea!
What kind of milk powder to use?
Hi Selina, please use full cream milk powder. :)