Pikedel Grago – Portuguese-Eurasian Krill Fritters from Melaka
One of the highlights of our Masters of Malaysian Cuisine (MOMC) Merdeka Day broadcast was the Pikedel Grago – Portuguese-Eurasian krill fritters – prepared by retired Melaka fisherman Martin Theseira.
Martin grew up in Melaka’s Portuguese Settlement, where grago (local krill) once appeared in abundance during the season from June to December. Every household would fry up these golden cutlets, enjoyed hot and crispy with a tangy chili-raisin sauce.
Today, with krill becoming harder to source, Pikedel Grago is no longer as common as it used to be – but thanks to Martin’s demo, you can now recreate this heritage dish at home.
Watch Martin’s cooking demo here: How to Make Pikedel Grago
How to Make Pikedel Grago (Portuguese-Eurasian Krill Fritters)
Serves: 4
Total Time: ~40 minutes
Ingredients
For the fritters
- 500 g fresh grago (krill)
- 200 g rice flour
- 3 eggs
- Chopped onions (to taste)
- Chopped fresh chillies (to taste)
- Chopped onion leaves (spring onions)
- A generous amount of white pepper
- Salt, to taste
- Cooking oil, for deep-frying
For the chili-raisin sauce
- Fresh red chillies
- Dried chillies
- A little garlic
- A piece of ginger
- A handful of raisins
Method
- In a large bowl, combine the fresh krill and the rice flour. Mix them together. Do not add any water to the mixture; the eggs and moisture from the krill will provide the necessary liquid.
- Break two eggs into the bowl. Stir gently to combine everything. The batter should be thick. If the mixture seems too dry or there is a lot of grago, add the third egg.
- Stir in the chopped onions and chilies. Season the batter with a generous amount of white pepper and a pinch of salt to taste.
- Just before frying, add the chopped onion leaves and give the batter one last gentle stir.
- For deep-frying, fill a wok or deep saucepan with at least 5-7 cm of cooking oil. Heat the oil to approximately 180°C (350°F).
- Once the oil is hot, take a spoonful of the batter and carefully slide it into the hot oil. Do not make the fritters too big. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the wok, which can lower the oil temperature.
- Deep-fry the fritters for 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the cooked fritters from the wok with a slotted spoon and drain them on a paper towel.
- For the best experience, serve them immediately while they are still hot and crispy.
A Taste of Heritage
Martin, who spent 20 years as a fisherman before turning to pickle-making, says Pikedel Grago was once a staple snack in his community. While versions of similar fritters exist in Portugal (often with cod), the krill-based Melaka version is unique to the Portuguese-Eurasian community.
With grago becoming more scarce, some restaurants stockpile it during the season to keep this heritage dish alive. For many families, though, Pikedel Grago remains a treasured taste of home.
