Ingredients

1 cup cooked shrimp, minced
3/4 cup Ritz crackers, crushed
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon Oriental five-spice powder
Flour, as needed
Egg wash (whisk 1 egg with 1 cup of milk)
Sesame seeds, as needed
Vegetable oil, as needed

Combine the minced shrimp, cracker crumbs, egg yolk, melted butter and five-spice powder to form a dough. Roll dough out to an even thickness, about 3/4 inch. Using a crescent-shaped cookie cutter, cut the crescents out of the dough. (Other shaped cookie cutters may also be used, if desired.)
Place the crescents onto a baking sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer.
Once frozen, bread the crescents by dipping each crescent into flour, egg wash and sesame seeds. Make sure each crescent is completely coated in sesame seeds. Return the crescents to the freezer until needed.
In a deep frying pan, heat the oil to approximately 360 degrees. Place the crescents in the oil and fry them until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the frying pan; fry just a few crescents at a time. Serve at once. Makes 24 appetizers.

Directions

Chef's note: If desired, the crescents can be fried to a light golden brown, frozen, and then baked in a 400-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. The crescents may be served with an Oriental sweet-and-sour dipping sauce, available in most supermarkets.