Elevate your chips and dip and try these crunchy prawn crackers with a rich pea and wasabi cream.

Recipes and Styling Natalie Homan | Photographs Brendan Homan

Pea & wasabi cream with furikake & prawn crackers
serves 4

prawn crackers
200g cooked prawn meat
200g tapioca starch
½ tsp sea salt
1 tsp sesame oil

furikake
2 tbsp white sesame seeds
2 tbsp black sesame seeds
1 nori sheet
2 tbsp bonito flakes
2 tbsp wasabi peas
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp sugar

pea and wasabi cream
1 cup peas
2 avocados
2 tsp wasabi paste (or to taste)
juice from 1 lime
¼ cup avocado or olive oil
sea salt
pea tendrils to garnish

Make the prawn crackers at least a day ahead. Blitz prawn meat to a paste in a food processor.  Place in a medium bowl and add the tapioca starch, salt and sesame oil. Mix well to form a stiff dough, adding water a tbsp at a time if required.

Turn out onto the bench and knead for 5 minutes to form a firm homogenous dough. Divide into 2 and roll into logs about 4cm in diameter.

Steam for one hour (ensure the logs are sitting on baking paper as the end product is quite sticky).  Transfer onto a wire rack and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Slice the logs as thinly as possible and place in a single layer on wire racks and dehydrate in a dehydrator or very low oven (60-70C) until completely dry (they will be translucent and snap when broken).

Prawn crackers will last indefinitely in a sealed container in the pantry. To serve, deep fry in 180C oil until puffed (a couple of seconds) and drain well on paper towel.

Toast black and white sesame seeds over med/ low heat in a dry frypan until golden and fragrant.  Place in a small bowl. Toast the nori sheet in the frypan over medium heat for 30 seconds each side.

Allow to cool before crushing and adding to the sesame seeds. Coarsely crush the wasabi peas in a mortar and pestle and add to the bowl. Add the bonito flakes, salt and sugar and mix well to combine. Store furikake in a sealed container.

Place peas, avocado, wasabi paste and lime juice into a food processor bowl and blitz until smooth. Pour in the oil with the motor running. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

To serve, spread the dip onto a serving plate and top with a generous amount of furikake. Garnish with pea tendrils and serve the prawn crackers on the side.

 

This article first appeared in the November 2022 issue of SALIFE magazine.