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Krupuk (), also known as keropok () and kropek () refers to traditional Deep frying crackers made from starch combined with flavouring ingredients such as prawn, fish or other seafood. The food has long-standing traditions throughout maritime Southeast Asia and neighbouring coastal regions, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, southern Thailand, Brunei and Singapore.
Krupuk, keropok and kropek encompasses numerous regional varieties, ranging from cassava- or rice-based forms to those made with seafood or animal products such as cattle skin. These varieties are widely consumed as , served alongside main dishes, or sold as regional specialities. Certain forms hold strong associations with local cuisines, including krupuk kulit in Java and Sumatra, Lekor in Malay Peninsula and amplang in Borneo.
Variants are also found internationally. In the Netherlands the food is known as kroepoek, reflecting historical ties with Indonesia, while in Suriname it forms part of Javanese-Surinamese cuisine. In global markets it is often sold as “” or “.” Comparable preparations exist in Vietnam (; ), southern China (p=xiāpiàn) and other coastal areas of Asia, where drying and frying provided a practical method of preserving food resources.
In Indonesia, historical sources suggest that krupuk was already known by the 9th or 10th century. The Batu Pura inscription mentions krupuk rambak, a cracker made from cow or buffalo skin that survives today as krupuk kulit, often served with the Javanese cuisine krechek. According to A. G. Pringgodigdo in the Ensiklopedi Umum, its preparation involved cleaning and boiling hides before slicing and drying them for later use. Similar skin-based crackers also appear in other regional traditions, such as the Sundanese dorokdok and the Padang cuisine karupuak jangek.
In the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, bánh phồng tôm developed in areas where rice cultivation and shrimp farming were central to local livelihoods, with production in Sa Đéc becoming particularly prominent during the 19th-century Nguyễn dynasty. Through trade along the South China Sea, these prawn crackers circulated widely and showed close similarities to varieties found elsewhere in maritime Southeast Asia. Comparable preparations were also made in southern China, particularly in Fujian and Guangdong, where shrimp paste and rice flour were combined to produce xiāpiàn. Maritime exchange, especially through Hoklo people and Teochew people, facilitated the spread of such crackers into Southeast Asia, where they were adapted to local tastes and ingredients.
In the Malay Peninsula, local tradition traces the origin of keropok udang () to the 16th century, when leftover prawn heads from a feast were used to prepare the first crackers. By the 19th century, keropok was documented by the Malay writer Abdul Kadir Munsyi, who noted its production in the Kuantan. The tradition also extended to the Philippines, where a related preparation known as kropeck is believed to have been introduced through early contact with Malay communities prior to Spanish colonisation. Made from shrimp or fish paste combined with flour and dried before frying, it became a familiar snack and remains widely consumed.
Krupuk and kripik may be eaten on their own as snacks or used as accompaniments to enhance the texture of various dishes. Certain types are commonly paired with preparations such as gado-gado, karedok, Rojak, asinan, bubur ayam and certain varieties of soto. Krupuk is also the primary ingredient in seblak, a savoury and spicy preparation in which softened krupuk is stir-fried with meat or seafood in a chilli-based sauce.
Among the most widespread types are krupuk putih or krupuk kampung, cassava crackers common throughout the archipelago and krupuk gendar, a rice-based cracker especially associated with Java. Seafood-based varieties include krupuk udang (prawn crackers), the most internationally recognised type, and krupuk ikan, widely produced in coastal centres such as Palembang, Bangka Island, Cirebon and Sidoarjo Regency. Regional specialities also include krupuk kemplang from Palembang, amplang from Kalimantan and krupuk kupang, a clam-based cracker from East Java.
Other distinctive forms highlight cultural and culinary diversity. Krupuk kulit ( rambak or jangek) is prepared from cattle skin and is especially popular in West Sumatra and Java, while krupuk kulit babi (pork rinds) are associated with non-Muslim-majority regions such as Bali, North Sumatra and North Sulawesi. Local innovations include krupuk melarat from Cirebon, roasted in clean river sand instead of oil, krupuk mie (noodle crackers) used as toppings for asinan, and speciality products such as krupuk petis from Kendal Regency, krupuk telur asin from Brebes Regency, and krupuk siput gonggong from the Riau Islands.
Among the many varieties, keropok kering is widely produced across different states and sold throughout the country, with common flavours including ikan tamban (sardine), ikan parang (wolf herring), udang merah (red prawn) and udang putih (white prawn). Distinct regional specialities include Lekor, a chewy fish cracker emblematic of Terengganu, is usually eaten freshly fried and is also known as keropok gote in Kelantan. Keropok sira refers to fish crackers coated in a sweet and spicy glaze, particularly associated with the east coast of Malay Peninsula. In Sabah, amplang is a popular nugget-shaped fish cracker characteristic of the coastal town of Tawau.
Kropek is typically served as a light snack or appetiser, often accompanied by a vinegar and chilli dipping sauce, and is also consumed during social occasions or as a side dish with meals. Numerous local brands produce different varieties, among them La La Fish Crackers and Oishi, the latter being a Philippines-based snack food company that has expanded across Asia and become one of the region's major producers of prawn and fish crackers.
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