Prawn crackers – often eaten plain or dipped in chilli sauce – are a popular snack during Chinese New Year. Although it is a sought-after treat all year round, the art of making prawn crackers is a dying tradition.

But if there’s one Chinese New Year snack that packs a punch at Chan Chai Lian’s house, it is her homemade prawn crackers. Light, crispy and delicious, the Seremban-based retiree’s addictive tidbit has been one of the most sought-after snacks among family members for over four decades.

“My children, grandchildren and guests enjoy eating the homemade treat. I usually make 2kg to 3kg of crackers each Chinese New Year for them,” says the grandmother-of-three. The 74-year-old learnt the art of making prawn crackers from her aunt over 45 years ago. In the early 1970s, her aunt would send over a tin of crackers for her family for the festive season. Chan’s family – who are big lovers of prawn crackers – would chomp up the delicacy on the same day it arrived.

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