Air Fryer Cucur Udang — Prawn Fritters Without Deep Frying

Crispy prawn fritters made in the air fryer with minimal oil — the classic Malaysian kuih goreng that everyone loves but nobody wants to deep-fry at home. Kak Rina's version uses a slightly thicker batter so the fritters puff up beautifully in the air fryer. Free recipe!

🥘 Ingredients

• 200g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp coriander powder (optional)
• 190-200ml water (adjust to thick batter consistency)
• ADD-INS:
• 200g small fresh prawns — peeled, whole
• 1 stalk spring onion — sliced thin
• 1 fresh red chilli — sliced thin
• 2 kaffir lime leaves — sliced very fine (optional but adds fragrance)
• FOR AIR FRYING:
• Oil spray (generous)

👨‍🍳 Steps

1. Step 1 — Batter: Whisk flour, baking powder, turmeric, salt, sugar, and coriander powder together. Add water gradually (you may not need all of it) and whisk until smooth. The batter should be THICK — thicker than pancake batter. It should fall off a spoon in thick ribbons. Let rest 10 minutes (allows baking powder to activate).
2. Step 2 — Add-ins: Fold in whole prawns, spring onion, sliced chilli, and kaffir lime leaves. Mix gently — don't break the prawns.
3. Step 3 — Preheat Air Fryer: Preheat to 180°C for 5 minutes. Line the basket with baking paper or foil. Spray generously with oil.
4. Step 4 — Portion: Drop heaped tablespoons of batter onto the lined basket, leaving space between each. They should look like thick dollops, not spread thin. Spray the tops generously with oil.
5. Step 5 — Air Fry: Cook at 180°C for 8 minutes. Flip carefully with a spatula. Spray the top again with oil. Cook another 6-8 minutes until golden brown on both sides.
6. Step 6 — Serve with sweet chilli sauce or cili sos.
7. Kak Rina's tip: The thick batter and generous oil spray are what make air fryer cucur udang work. If your batter is too thin, the fritters spread flat and don't puff up. If you're stingy with the oil spray, they come out dry and pale.

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