Air Fryer Recipe
Prawn and Sweetcorn Fritters
Prawn and sweetcorn fritters are a delightful treat that bring a taste of the seaside right into your home kitchen. Crispy on the outside yet tender and flavourful on the inside, these fritters are perfect as an appetiser, side dish, or even a main course.
Ingredients
- 200g raw prawns, peeled and deveined
- 200g sweetcorn kernels
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
- 100g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
- Juice of 1 lime
- Olive oil spray
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the prawns, sweetcorn, spring onions, red chilli, eggs, flour, and baking powder. Stir until well-mixed.
- Season with salt, pepper, and add the chopped coriander. Mix until combined.
- Set your air fryer to 180°C (356°F) and allow it to heat up for about 3-5 minutes.
- Use a spoon to scoop up portions of the mixture and form them into small patties or balls.
- Lightly spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with olive oil.
- Place the fritters in the basket in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching each other.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway, until the fritters are golden brown and crispy.
- Remove the fritters from the air fryer and spritz with lime juice before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Air frying suits these fritters because the fan drives moisture off the egg-flour batter quickly, setting a crust before the prawns overcook. Keeping the patties shallow lets heat reach the raw prawn pieces fast, while a light oil spray improves browning on the flour and sweetcorn surfaces.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding about 6–8 small fritters in one layer; in a single-drawer model, leave space around the centre where airflow can be weaker, while dual-zone drawers usually need smaller batches per side and should be checked 1–2 minutes early if the drawers are lightly loaded.
Common pitfalls
- Mixture spreads or leaks through the basket? The prawns or sweetcorn are too wet; pat them dry, stir in 1 tbsp extra flour, and chill the mix for 10 minutes before shaping.
- Fritters are browned outside but the prawn looks glassy or translucent inside? They are too thick; flatten to about 1.5cm and cook a few minutes longer at 170°C to finish the centre without scorching the crust.
- Undersides are pale and damp at the halfway turn? There is not enough oil or airflow contact; spray the basket and fritter tops lightly, then leave wider gaps between pieces.
- Fritters tear when turned? The egg-flour matrix has not set yet; give the first side 5–6 minutes before moving and use a thin spatula rather than tongs.
Variations & substitutions
- Use cooked prawns instead of raw: cut the cooking time to about 6–8 minutes, as you are mainly setting the batter and reheating without making the prawns rubbery.
- Use frozen sweetcorn: thaw and dry it well first, otherwise the batter loosens and the fritters need an extra minute or two to crisp.
- Swap plain flour for rice flour: the crust becomes lighter and crisper, but the patties are more fragile, so make them slightly smaller.
- Add 1 tsp Thai red curry paste or curry powder: it deepens the seasoning, but reduce added salt because many pastes are already salty.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled fritters in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat in the air fryer at 170°C for 4–5 minutes until hot and re-crisped.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
