Deep fried and crispy, cucur udang dipped in a thick peanut chilli sauce is just the thing when the hunger pangs hit between lunch and dinner.

Often sold at hawker centres as a side dish, these crunchy savoury morsels are often shared between a few friends, almost like an appetiser as they wait for their main dishes to arrive or during tea break in between meals.

The making of the cucur udang or prawn fritters is simple enough as it involves mixing the shrimps with flour and some spices before it is deep-fried to a golden crispy goodness.

The texture and flavours of the cucur udang vary at different stalls depending on the spices used. Some stalls offer a pillowy fritter that has more flour in it and this golden snack is crispy on the outside and when you bite into it, the inside has a soft, pillowy consistency while the shrimps give it the burst of salt and sea flavours. This thicker type sometimes has added ingredients like shredded carrots, corn, bean sprouts and shallots to give it extra texture and another flavour dimension.

Cucuk Udang is often sold at stalls together with other deep-fried goodies such as beancurd, sausage, egg and potato.

Here are stalls in George Town that you can explore.

Gerai Cucur Udang Pasar Chowrasta @ 2-36, Lebuh Tamil

Padang Afternoon Food Court @ Jalan Johor