Air Fryer Fisherman's Basket
Golden crumbed fisherman's basket featuring tiger prawns, scallops and red snapper bites served with fries, tartare sauce, sriracha mayo and Asian slaw.
15 Mins. 20 Mins. 2
Most fisherman's basket recipes assume deep frying. We're not doing that — and the result is genuinely better. Batter needs to be submerged in hot oil to set properly; in an air fryer it slides off and stays uneven. Crumbed panko coating behaves completely differently — it crisps in circulating hot air, adheres well, and gives you a more consistent golden crust without the oil. That's why this recipe works.
Why the air fryer works so well for seafood in a small HK kitchen.
🛒 Ingredients:
Seafood Mix
- 6 tiger prawns — peeled, tails on (optional)
- 6 scallops — patted very dry
- 200g red snapper fillet — cut into 3–4cm pieces
- 300g thin-cut fries
Crumb Coating
- ½ cup plain flour
- 1 egg — beaten
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Salt & pepper
- Optional: ½ tsp garlic powder or smoked paprika
👨🍳 Instructions:
Prep Seafood
- Pat all seafood completely dry — moisture prevents crisping.
- Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Crumb Each Piece
- Coat in flour
- Dip in egg
- Press into panko breadcrumbs
Rest crumbed seafood on a rack for 5 minutes before cooking — this helps the coating adhere and improves crispness.
Cook Fries First
Air fry at 180°C for 15 minutes, shaking halfway. Remove and keep warm. Fries and seafood cook at different temperatures and times — always cook them separately for the best result from both.
Cook Seafood
Air fry at 200°C for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway. Cook in a single layer — airflow is what creates the crisp, and overcrowding kills it. Cook in batches if needed.
Scallops cook fastest — 6–8 minutes. Prawns and snapper bites need slightly longer at 8–10 minutes. Not sure when it's done? Here's how to tell when seafood is cooked without cutting into it.
Rest 2 minutes before serving.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions:
Serve with fries and your choice of dipping sauces — tartare sauce for the classic pairing, sriracha mayo for something with heat.
[Full sauce recipes and a Simple Asian Slaw to serve alongside — here.]
✨ Pro Tip:
- Crumbed beats battered in an air fryer — batter needs oil to set; crumbs crisp in circulating air
- Pat seafood completely dry before crumbing — surface moisture is the enemy of a crispy crust
- Rest crumbed seafood 5 minutes before cooking — better adhesion, better crust
- Single layer only — airflow creates the crisp, overcrowding kills it
- Fries first, seafood second — timing and temperature are different for each
- Scallops cook fastest — keep an eye on them
This recipe uses:
