Can I Cook Coconut Shrimp In An Air Fryer?

Our answer

Nigella's Coconut Shrimp With Turmeric Yogurt (from AT MY TABLE) are raw prawns (shrimp) coated with panko breadcrumbs and desiccated (unsweetened shredded) coconut and then deep fried. They have a crisp coating with sweet, succulent flesh and frying is the most reliable way to get the golden, crunchy crust.

Whilst it is possible to cook the shrimp in an air fryer, we prefer overall to fry the shrimp. Air fryers are, in practice, small, very high powered ovens. The coating of the shrimp can be a little more dry in an air fryer and there is a risk that the shrimp slightly overcook. To reduce this risk you should use fairly large shrimp (at least king size/jumbo) and preheat the air fryer so that the outside of the Coconut Shrimp starts cooking immediately. It may also help to spray the coated shrimp with a little flavourless vegetable oil before cooking them, to help them to crisp up and turn golden. You will need to set the oven to 200°C/400°F and the cooking time is likely to be 7-10 minutes, depending on the size of the srimp. You should also turn the shrimp over halfway through the cooking time.