This extremely attractive South Asian appetizer featuring large prawns marinated, coated in a spiced gram flour batter, deep-fried to a golden crispiness, and served
Preparation Time: 30 minutes (includes cleaning, peeling, and remove the dark dorsal vein from prawns, and preparing the marinade)
Marinating Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 15-20 minutes (this includes frying in batches)
Ingredients:
For the Marinade:
- 500g king prawns, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Batter:
- 1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
- 2 tablespoons rice flour
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- Salt to taste
- Water (as needed to make a thick batter)
For Frying:
- Oil for deep frying
For Garnish:
- Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
- Lemon wedges
Instructions:
- In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients: ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice.
- Add the prawns to the marinade, making sure each prawn is well-coated. Allow it to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- In another bowl, prepare the batter by mixing chickpea flour, rice flour, red chili powder, baking soda, and salt. Add water gradually to form a thick batter with a consistency similar to pancake batter.
- Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer to 350°F (175°C).
- Dip each marinated prawn into the batter, ensuring it’s well-coated, and then carefully drop it into the hot oil.
- Fry the prawns in batches until they turn golden brown and crispy. This should take around 3-4 minutes per batch.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the prawns from the oil and place them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
- Garnish the king prawn butterfly with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with lemon wedges.
Enjoy your delicious King Prawn Butterfly as an appetizer or snack. You can also serve it with mint chutney or a tangy sauce for extra flavor.
