Ainsley Harriott Bahamian-Style Prawn & Coconut Fritters with Calypso Sauce Recipe
This Ainsley Harriott Bahamian Prawn & Coconut Fritters with Calypso Sauce is a crispy and vibrant recipe, which calls for juicy king prawns and sweet desiccated coconut. It's the ultimate Caribbean street food starter, ready in just 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Deep Frying Pan
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small Bowl
- Slotted Spoon
- Kitchen Thermometer
- Kitchen Paper
Ingredients
For the Fritters
- 300 g raw king prawns peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
- 75 g desiccated coconut not sweetened flakes
- 75 g plain flour or gluten-free flour blend
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 large egg beaten
- 75 ml coconut milk
- 2 spring onions finely sliced
- 1 red chilli de-seeded and finely chopped
- 1 lime zest only
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- sunflower oil for frying
For the Calypso Sauce
- 4 tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp mango chutney
- 1 tsp Caribbean hot pepper sauce
- 1/2 lime juice only
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- pinch of sea salt
To Serve
- fresh lime wedges
- sliced spring onions to garnish
- pinch of cayenne pepper for dusting
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mango chutney, hot pepper sauce, lime juice, and turmeric until smooth and golden. Season with a pinch of sea salt. Cover and refrigerate until needed — the longer it sits, the better the flavours meld.
- In a large bowl, combine the plain flour, baking powder, desiccated coconut, ground allspice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Make a well in the centre, then add the beaten egg and coconut milk. Stir together until you have a thick, smooth batter.
- Fold in the roughly chopped raw prawns, sliced spring onions, chopped red chilli, and lime zest. Mix gently until everything is evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour sunflower oil into a deep frying pan to a depth of about 2cm. Heat over medium-high heat until a small drop of batter sizzles and rises to the surface immediately — approximately 175°C.
- Working in batches, drop heaped tablespoons of the prawn batter into the hot oil. Fry no more than 5–6 fritters at a time. Cook for 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Season with a tiny pinch of salt immediately while still hot.
- Arrange the fritters on a serving platter, dust lightly with cayenne pepper, scatter sliced spring onions over the top, and serve immediately alongside the Calypso dipping sauce and fresh lime wedges.
Video
@ainsleyfoods Join me for the first episode of my brand new series, Ainsley’s Taste of The Bahamas, today at 2pm on ITV 😊🏝️🌞 I’m kicking off my island adventure with the comfort foods at the heart of Bahamian cooking — from chicken in da bag at Bamboo Shack to learning the secrets of a classic Peas N’ Rice with chef Tevin Kemp. I’ll be serving up some tasty Prawn and Coconut Fritters inspired by the famous Bahamian Conch Fritters - they’re fluffy, crispy and a little bit spicy. @ITV @Rock Oyster Media #ainsleystasteofthebahamas #newseries #caribbean #nassauparadiseisland #travel @Nassau & Paradise Island ♬ Marina - FASSounds
Notes
Raw prawns only: Never use pre-cooked prawns — they turn rubbery when fried a second time.
Batter consistency: Should be thick enough to hold its shape when dropped from a spoon. Too thick — add a splash of coconut milk. Too thin — add a tablespoon of flour.
Gluten-free: Swap plain flour for a gluten-free flour blend and ensure baking powder is certified gluten-free.
Air fryer version: Brush fritters with oil and air fry at 200°C for 10–12 minutes, turning halfway.