When cooking battered-fried prawns,

1. 76

   DzyMsLizzyposted 13 years ago

   When cooking battered-fried prawns,
   
   how how do you keep the batter from sliding off the prawn when it hits the oil?  I've tried patting them dry on paper towels before dipping in the batter; I've tried dredging them in flour before dipping in the batter...nothing seems to work!

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2. 0

   Marntzuposted 13 years ago

   Are you drying them thoroughly and removing the skin before battering them? If so it could be the batter recipe itself, try a simple blend of AP flour (1 & 1/2 cups), baking powder (1 tsp), salt and black pepper (1 tsp each). make sure you do the egg wash first then dip in the flour. when you put them in the fryer do it by hand or with a spider and slowly lower them into the oil. If you drop them in from any height that could knock the batter loose too.

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   1. 76

      DzyMsLizzyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hi, Marntzu--Thanks. I dry as much as possible without leaving paper shreds on them. They're pre-skinned & shelled from the fish counter in the supermarket;label says, "previously handled frozen."  Could that be the problem?

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   2. 0

      Marntzuposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It shouldn't

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3. 46

   DDEposted 13 years ago

   In my opinion  I would first dip in whisked egg and then into flour and  in very hot oil the batter would stay

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   1. 76

      DzyMsLizzyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Ok--my husband picked up some more yesterday--and I just noticed, for the first time, not only "previously handled frozen," but also says "pre-cooked." (DUH! they're pink!  Should'a known!)  Does that make a difference?

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   2. 46

      DDEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It doesn't make a difference the whole idea is of the batter to stay the egg helps well for me thanks

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4. 87

   Rui Carreiraposted 13 years ago

   Hello.... I don't cook prawns, I'm going to be honest with you - I saw your 100 hubscore and I just wanted to come in and congratulate you. People like you are a huge inspiration for me.
   
   I wanted you to know that
   
   Good luck cooking prawns

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   1. 76

      DzyMsLizzyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you very much, Rui.

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5. 70

   ellebyamposted 13 years ago

   First of all, make sure that your cooking oil has reached the standard 400-degree frying temp. Dip your prawns in batter and place it on a small saucer. Slide the battered prawn from the saucer to the hot cooking oil.

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   1. 76

      DzyMsLizzyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks, ellebyam.  I'll try that the next time.   I hadn't even thought about using a thermometer (don't have one!) I don't even have a real deep fryer--just saucepan & I use the old-fashioned bread cube temp test.

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   2. 70

      ellebyamposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You can check the oil temperature by dropping a granule of rock salt in it. If the granule floats and sizzles, your hot oil is ready. Another way coating prawns:coat first in a flour-cornstarch mixture, dip in egg then in breadcrumbs.

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