Southeast Asia shares a familiar culinary thread that crosses borders in the form of shrimp crackers. For generations, coastal communities across the region have transformed local seafood catches into crispy snacks.
The shrimps are blended with tapioca flour to create dry pieces meant for everyday snacking. From the shared coastal tradition of simple processing, shrimp crackers emerged with distinct local names and characteristics across different areas.
Regional Variations of Shrimp Crackers in Southeast Asia
Across at least four Southeast Asian countries, shrimp crackers appear under names shaped by different local habits.
In Malaysia, shrimp crackers are called "keropok udang." Meanwhile, Indonesia knows them by a similar name, "kerupuk udang."
Both Malaysians and Indonesians typically enjoy shrimp crackers as a meal accompaniment. In Indonesia, they often complement soto Lamongan, a rich yellow chicken broth served with shredded meat and koya powder made from crushed shrimp crackers and garlic.
The Philippines adopts a short name through the term kropeck. The Philippine version of shrimp crackers features a more porous texture due to a higher proportion of flour. Ranging from small-batch homemade versions to local market snacks, kropeck is commonly enjoyed alongside a spicy vinegar dip called sinamak.
In Viet Nam, people call shrimp crackers bánh phồng tôm, which literally translates to puffed shrimp cake. One of its primary production hubs is the city of Sa Đéc in Đồng Tháp Province, a region known for producing the crackers since the nineteenth century.
The bánh phồng tôm version features a much stronger shrimp presence. The dough relies heavily on shrimp that gives the crackers a dense structure that puffs up easily when fried.
In Vietnamese culinary traditions, the crispy crackers frequently accompany gỏi ngó sen, a traditional salad made of lotus root stems, shrimp, and meat dressed with fish sauce.
Main Ingredients used to Make Shrimp Crackers
Making shrimp crackers can be done at home. For example, the simple formulation uses 200 g of peeled and deveined shrimp meat and 400 g of tapioca starch. The heavier proportion of shrimp yields more savory flavor in the finished piece. Conversely, the excessive flour leaves the texture feeling much harder after frying.
The liquid and seasoning items include 160 g of cold water, 9 g of salt, 12.5 g of sugar, 2 g of ginger powder or two slices of fresh ginger, and an optional 4 g of garlic powder.
The shrimp and flour are ground smooth together with cold water, salt, sugar, ginger, and garlic until they form a soft dough. The mixture is then packed into long, cylindrical molds. Steaming proceeds gradually until the entire mass solidifies into a chewy block.
Once fully cooked, the solid block is sliced thinly using a knife to form raw crackers. The thin pieces are arranged on trays and left to dry directly under the sun. Drying continues until all moisture is completely gone, leaving them ready for the frying pan.
Dried shrimp crackers fry inside hot oil maintained at a steady heat. The moment the pieces hit the hot oil, they expand instantly and shift into a brighter or slightly golden-brown color.
The frying process happens rapidly within a matter of seconds. As soon as the entire piece expands, the crackers are immediately scooped out and drained to get rid of excess oil.
Shrimp crackers are ready to serve in any setting. To maintain their crunch, store them inside an airtight container.
