This prawn rava fry uses basic spices, fresh prawns, and a quick rava coating to make a crispy Goan-style appetizer that tastes amazing. So simple, so crunchy, and ready in 30 minutes.
This prawn fry recipe is a simple Goan dish. Prawns are marinated with basic spices, coated with rava, and pan-fried until golden and crispy, while staying soft and juicy inside. Here's my step-by-step recipe and quick video to make it easily at home.
One of the best things about staying in Goa or any coastal region is having access to the freshest seafood. A Goan non-veg thali never feels complete without it, and seafood dishes are a big part of our daily meals here.
On weekdays or weekends, my family loves Goan dishes like mackerel fish fry, chicken cafreal, Goan chicken vindaloo, or a simple Goan fish curry. It has become a routine in our home, and I love cooking these coastal recipes for them.
Prawns are a favourite at home. They cook fast, and I love making simple dishes like my Goan prawn curry or prawn ghee roast. This prawn rava fry is another easy recipe we enjoy on busy days.
Quick Look: Prawn Fry Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Servings: 4
- Calories: ~196 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- Cook Method: Marinate prawns → coat with rava → pan-fry until golden, crispy, and cooked through.
- Spice Level: Medium to hot
- Flavor Profile: Spicy and slightly tangy, which goes really well with the natural sweetness of prawns.
- Difficulty: Easy-Medium, great for weekend meals
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Disclaimer: AI summaries may contain errors. Please check the original prawn fry recipe for accurate steps.
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Goan Flavour: This prawn fry recipe has a simple Goan touch using only 5 basic spices for authentic coastal flavor.
- Quick & Easy: This prawn recipe is simple to make and ready in under 30 minutes, perfect for a quick snack or side dish.
- Less oil, More crunch: Instead of deep-frying, the prawns are pan-fried with just a little oil, making them perfectly crispy without being greasy.
- Spicy & Tangy Flavor: The simple spice marinade imparts the prawns a delicious taste that pairs perfectly with the rava coating.
- Versatile: This prawn rava fry recipe is incredibly versatile. You can easily substitute prawns with fish to make fish rava fry or with vegetables like potato or brinjal to make brinjal fry.
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Prawn Fry Ingredients
See the recipe card at the end of the post for full ingredients, quantities, and a printable version.
- Prawn: I have used fresh prawns for this recipe, and honestly, nothing tastes better than that. Medium or large prawns work best for this prawn fry. You can also use frozen prawns or shrimp. Thaw them properly before cooking.
- Ginger-garlic paste: It gives a very nice aroma and flavor. If you don't have the paste, use freshly minced garlic. Alternatively, you can use garlic powder.
- Spice powders: Salt, turmeric powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder for bright red color and mild flavor. However, you can substitute it with any red chili powder, adjusting the amount to taste.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brightens up this recipe. You can substitute it with tamarind paste as we used in our rava fish fry recipe.
- Rava (semolina): I have used fine rava for this recipe. If you don't have fine rava or semolina, you can grind regular semolina for 1 or 2 pulses in short bursts to create a finer texture. It gives prawns a crispy coating.
- Rice flour: I have added it to give the prawn extra crispiness. If you do not have it, skip it. I have made it without rice flour many times, and it tastes equally good. Or substitute it with corn flour in the same quantity.
- Oil: Traditionally, coconut oil is used for making Goan-style prawn rava fry. However, you can substitute it with any cooking oil.
How to make prawn fry with step-by-step photos
For prawn marinade
Step 1: Clean the prawns, de-shell and de-vein them. I have a detailed post on how to do it. Rinse it with water. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel.
Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine prawns, ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and lemon juice. Marinate the prawns for 15 minutes. Set it aside (image 1).
Step 3: Next, combine rava (semolina) and rice flour on a plate (image 2).
Step 4: Take out the marinated prawns one by one and coat them well with the rava mixture (image 3). Set them aside on the plate (image 4). Discard the excess marinade.
Frying the prawns
Step 5: Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, place the rava-coated prawns over it (image 5). Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the prawns in small batches.
Step 6: Drizzle some oil on it (image 6). Cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Flip it and fry the prawn on the other side until crisp, golden, and cooked through (images 7 & 8). Prawn rava fry is ready. You can serve it as a side dish with rice and dal or any curry.
Tips to make crispy rava prawn fry
- For the best flavors, marinate the prawns in the masala for 15 minutes (no more than that).
- The addition of rice flour creates an extra crispy exterior for the prawns.
- The oil should be medium-hot, not smoky. Very hot oil can burn the prawns before they cook.
- Fry the prawns in small batches to ensure even browning and crispiness. Do not overcrowd the pan. Keep some gap between them. It helps the prawns to get crisp fried.
- Prawns cook quickly, so keep an eye on them. Do not overcook the prawns. It will turn chewy or rubbery.
- Cooking time varies based on prawn size. Medium-sized prawns cook faster than larger ones.
What to serve with prawn fry?
- Serve these fried prawns as an appetizer with a side of green chutney, crispy onion rings, and a lemon wedge.
- Serve it as a side dish with rice and any curry, like Kolambi rassa, mackerel curry, or with prawn biryani.
- I like to pair these crispy prawn fry with a bowl of fluffy steamed rice and dal. It makes my Sunday lunch special.
Recipe Card
Prawn Rava Fry (Goan Prawn Fry)
Video
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottom pan or Tawa
- 1 small mixing bowl
Ingredients
For Prawn Marinade
- 250 gram prawns or shrimp de-shelled and de-veined
- 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
- salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 teaspoon red chili powder add as per your taste
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
Other ingredients
- ½ cup fine rava or suji (semolina)
- ¼ cup rice flour (optional)
- 2 tablespoon oil to shallow fry
Instructions
Preparations
- Clean the prawns. De-shell and de-vein it. Rinse it with water. Pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel.250 gram prawns or shrimp
- For prawn marinade: In a mixing bowl, combine prawns, ginger-garlic paste, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and lemon juice. Marinate the prawns for 15 minutes. Set this aside.1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, salt to taste, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 3 teaspoon red chili powder, 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- In a plate, combine rava (semolina) and rice flour.½ cup fine rava or suji (semolina), ¼ cup rice flour (optional)
- Take out the marinated prawns one by one and coat them well with the rava mixture. Discard excess marinade. Set this aside on the plate.
Frying the prawns
- Heat 2 tablespoon of oil in a pan over medium heat.2 tablespoon oil
- When the pan is hot, place the rava-coated prawns over it. Do not overcrowd the pan. Shallow fry the prawns in small batches. Drizzle some oil on top. Cook it for 2-3 minutes.
- Flip it and fry the prawn on the other side until crisp, golden, and cooked through.
- Prawn rava fry is ready. You can serve it as a side dish with rice and dal or as an appetizer with green chutney.
Notes
- For the best flavour, marinate the prawns for 15 minutes. No need to marinate longer.
- Adjust the spice level as you like.
- Rice flour makes the prawns extra crispy. If you don't have it, just skip. I have made this without rice flour, and it still tastes great.
- To make rice flour at home, wash rice, drain well, dry under a fan, roast, cool, grind, and sieve. Store in an airtight container.
- Heat the oil to medium-hot. If it's too hot, the prawns will burn. If it's not hot enough, they will turn soggy.
- Fry in small batches.
- Don't overcrowd the pan. Leaving a little space helps them fry crisp and brown evenly.
- Prawns cook fast, so watch them closely. Don't overcook them, or they will turn rubbery.
- Cooking time depends on size of the prawns.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Zebalda
This is so delicious! Tried it out and it turned out really well:)
Preeti
Glad you liked it. Thanks for the feedback.