Air fryer recipe · Starters
Masala Prawn Fry
Plump prawns tossed in a coastal spice rub and crisped to a fiery, fragrant finish.
- 30 minTotal time
- 190°CAir fryer
- 4Serves
- Non-vegetarianDiet
Nutrition per serving
- 85kcal
- 15.6 gprotein
- 5.3 gcarbs
- 0.5 gfat
- 0.2 gfibre
Per serving, about 4 servings. Figures are estimates from standard ingredient databases, not medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice.
Ingredients
- Large prawns, deveined300 g
- Rice flour2 tbsp
- Red chilli & turmeric1.5 tsp
- Curry leaves1 sprig
- Ginger-garlic paste1 tbsp
- Lemon juice1 tbsp
Method
Clean and dry the prawns
Devein and rinse the prawns, then pat them bone-dry so the masala grips and they crisp rather than steam. Keep the tails on to make them easy to pick up and eat.
Make the coastal rub
Combine the chilli powder, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste, salt and lemon juice into a thick paste. The rice flour stirred in now gives the prawns their light, crackly edge.
Coat and rest
Toss the prawns in the masala until evenly coated and leave them 10 minutes to soak up the spice. Crush the curry leaves into the mix as you go for a fresh, aromatic lift that carries right through the fry.
Mist the basket
Brush the air-fryer basket with oil and scatter the curry leaves among the prawns. Lay them flat in one layer with a little space between so each prawn browns evenly rather than steaming its neighbour.
Air-fry till curled
Air-fry at 190C for 9 min, shaking the basket once midway. The prawns are ready when they curl into tight Cs and the edges turn a deep russet colour, which is when the masala has toasted and gone fragrant.
