Tandoori Prawns Recipe | Juicy, Smoky and Easy to Make

Mobasir hassan
28 August

How to make Tandoori Prawns (shrimps) recipe

Learn how to make delicious tandoori prawns at home like restaurant style with step by step guide. Smoky and tender prawns just so good with the perfect mint sauce aka green chutney.

Crisp Goldren Tandoori prawns(shrimps) with Mint Chutney recipe

Tandoori prawns are marinated in a spiced yoghurt marination and cooked over tandoor till crisp golden. You can cooked this prawn recipe in an Oven or on gas top as well.

Prawns are also known as jhinga in India can be prepared using tandoor , tawa and oven . Tandoori prawns or jhinga recipe is very popular and goes perfectly well with your drinks as well. You can use tiger prawns or king prawns to make the recipe of tandoori tiger prawns or tandoori king prawns. Similarly with shrimps we can make tandoori shrimps recipe. And if you want to make then little bit spicy then increase the amount of red chilli powder or use green chili paste in the marination.


What is Tandoori Prawns ?

Tandoori prawns are a popular Indian seafood dish known for their unique, bold and flavourful taste. Prawns are marinated in a mixture of yogurt, variety of aromatic spices and herbs. These marinated Prawns are cooked over charcoal fire resulting a distinctive raddish-orange colour, smoky and grilled flavour.

Health benefits of eating Prawns

Prawns is one of the healthiest seafood loved by all over the world. Prawns is also known as shrimps but they have few differences. Like their size, prawns are big compare to shrimps. And they are little sweet in taste than shrimps. There are many health benefits of prawns if you include it in your diet. 
  • They are the main source of high quality protein includes all nine essential amino acids in the right portion for the body to function.
  • Prawns are rich source of Vitamins B-6 ,     B-12  and Niacin, which helps build muscle, give energy to body and replenish red blood cells.
  • Eating prawns helps build strong bone as they contains phosphorus, copper and magnesium. They are also rich in Iron.
  • Prawns have low cholesterol levels. And they are rich source of Selenium, which is one of most effective antioxidants.
How long can you marinate prawns for ?

Generally when we prepare any tandoori foods, it is best to marinate them for at least 3 to 4 hours to absorb all the flavours. Similarly for prawns also, it is best to marinate them for 3 hours or overnight.

How long do I need to cook prawns ?

Prawns doesn't take much time to cook. If you boil them then it hardly take 3 to 4 minutes. And while cooking them in tandoor it take 6 to 7 minutes to get cooked with the masala.
And in Oven also 6 to 7 minutes is sufficient for cooking the prawns. Similarly in pan fry it take 3 to 4 minutes.

Can I use frozen Prawns for the recipe?

Yes. While fresh prawns are recommended for best flavour and texture. You can use frozen prawns as well just make sure to thraw them properly before marinating. 

What can I serve with Tandoori Prawns?

They are best enjoyed with green chutney, onion slices and lemon wedges. Tandoori prawns pair wonderfully with Naan bread, steam rice or fresh cucumber salad.

For more healthy seafood recipes
 There are hundreds of recipes out there for prawns that you can try. One of my personal favourite prawns recipe is prawns fry  and Golden fried prawns  where batter coated prawns are deep fried till become crisp golden.   Today we are going to try it with a traditional way of cooking method over charcoal Tandoor, using Oven and over gas stove. Cooking over charcoal Tandoor is one of the healthy and hygienic method . Because there is very less amount of oil is used and the food is cooked in it's it' juice over slow flames. Also it gives you a smoky flavours. You can use shrimp also in place of prawns to make a spicy shrimp recipe.

Steps to make tandoori prawns

1. Peeling and cleaning

Fresh pieces of prawns (shrimps) for Tandoori prawns Recipe

First we need to peel and devein the prawns. To peel the prawns, remove the head and legs. Peel the shell from the prawns. Squeeze the tail to remove it from the body if desired.

Peeled prawns (shrimps) for Tandoori prawns Recipe

 To devein prawns use a small sharp knife. Make a slit along the middle of the back to expose the black vein . Pull out the vein

Deveined prawns for Tandoori prawns Recipe

Wash and clean them using running cold water. Let them pat dry using a kitchen towel or tissue napkins.

2. Marinating

First marination

Marinate them using half of the lemon juice, chilli powder and salt. If you want spicy shrimps then increase the amount of chilli powder (cayenne pepper) for the recipe.

Marinated prawns with red chilli powder salt lemon juice for Tandoori prawns Recipe

Second marination

Take a mixing bowl, add the yogurt, red chilly paste, ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, turmeric powder,carom seeds, garam masala,chat masala and salt . Mix them very well using a Whisk. Add the remaining oil and lemon juice and mix. These mixture is known as Tandoori masala which is used to marinate and cook the prawns. How to make Tandoori masala here you can read step by step guide to make this masala at home 

Mix the first marinated prawns with this tandoori masala and let it refrigerated for 60 minutes to marinate and absorb all the flavours. You can keep them marinated for overnight as well for the best results. 

Prawns mix with tandoori masala for Tandoori prawns Recipe

3. Cooking the prawns

In charcoal tandoor

Take a iron shewer and thread them into the Shewer one by one leaving a small  gaps in between them.

Shewered prawns for Tandoori prawns Recipe

Now place the Shewer inside a preheated tandoor and cooked for about 7 minutes. Apply some butter while cooking the jhinga at a regular intervals to keep them moist if necessary. 
When the prawns become crisp golden from all sides remove them from the shewer and serve .

Cooking prawns over charcoal Tandoor for Tandoori prawns Recipe

Serve hot squeezing some lemon juice and chat masala over them. They goes best with green mint chutney. Prawns are generally get cooked in short time.

Tandoori prawns in Oven

You can  cook them in an Oven also. Preheat the oven to 240°C for 15 minutes and line a baking tray with aluminum foil. If using wooden sticks then soak them in water for 30 minutes. Or if using small iron shewers then start to thread them one by one keeping a minimum gap in between them. This will ensure that they get cooked evenly from all sides.

Now place the shewers or sticks over the tray and then inside the oven and cook for 15 minutes or till they become crisp golden. Brush some butter while baking at a certain interval. When they become crisp golden remove and garnish them in a serving plate and serve hot with green chutney, lemon wedges and onion slices.

Tandoori prawns using tawa 

Alternatively you can cook tandoori prawns on a tawa or non stick pan easily at your home. Before cooking the prawns on tawa , remove and discard excess marinate from the prawns. Heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil  on the  tawa in high flame to make it  non sticky for about half a minute. When the oil become hot lower the flame to low and place the marinated prawns or jhinga  one by one on the tawa and cook for 1 minute. After that flip the prawns to another side and cook for another 1 minute.

Cook them in this way for about 7 to 8 minutes or till all the moisture evaporated and the prawns become dry crisp and we'll cooked. When the prawns become crisp golden on both sides remove them and start to cook next batches of prawns.
Tandoori Prawns Recipe

Tandoori Prawns Recipe

Juicy and smoky Tandoori Prawns, marinated in a spiced yogurt-based tandoori masala, then grilled till crisp golden. A perfect seafood appetizer to serve with green chutney, lachcha onions and lemon wedges.

Preparation time:
Cooking time:
Total time:
Serving: 2 servings
Author:

Ingredients

  • 6–8 medium size prawns (cleaned & deveined)
  • 2 tsp Greek yogurt (thick)
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli paste
  • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
  • 1/4 tsp chaat masala (optional)
  • 1 tsp cooking oil
  • 1/3 tsp clarified butter (for basting)
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Clean & Prepare Prawns: Peel, devein, and wash prawns. Pat dry with a towel.
  2. First Marination: Mix half lemon juice, red chilli powder, and salt with prawns. Rest for 10 minutes.
  3. Tandoori Masala: In a bowl, whisk yogurt, ginger garlic paste, chilli paste, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, ajwain, oil, and remaining lemon juice.
  4. Marinate: Coat prawns with this masala and refrigerate 1–3 hours.
  5. Oven Method: Preheat oven to 240°C. Line tray with foil and place rack. Thread prawns onto skewers, grill 7 minutes. Baste with butter, cook 2–3 more minutes till golden.
  6. Serve: Sprinkle with chaat masala, serve hot with mint chutney, onion rings, and lemon wedges.

Chef’s Tips

  • Always discard excess marinade before cooking to avoid watery prawns.
  • Ajwain (carom seeds) helps digestion and enhances seafood flavor.
  • Kashmiri chilli paste adds rich red color without making it too spicy.
  • You can also cook prawns on a charcoal tandoor or tawa for a smoky touch.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving)

  • Calories: 163 kcal
  • Protein: 25 g
  • Carbohydrates: 3 g
  • Fat: 5 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Fibre: 1 g

Serving Suggestions

  • Best served with green mint chutney, lachcha onion, and lemon wedges.
  • Pairs beautifully with tandoori naan, garlic naan, or butter naan.
  • You can also serve as a side with fish curry and steamed rice.

FAQs

Q: Can I make tandoori prawns in an air fryer?
A: Yes, preheat the air fryer at 200°C and cook prawns for 8–10 minutes. Brush with butter midway for best flavor.

Q: How do I prevent prawns from becoming rubbery?
A: Do not overcook. Prawns cook very fast; 7–8 minutes is enough. Remove as soon as they turn golden.

Q: Can I use frozen prawns for this recipe?
A: Yes, but thaw them completely and pat dry before marinating, otherwise the masala won’t stick properly.

Q: Can I cook prawns without skewers?
A: Absolutely. You can cook them on a greased grill pan, tawa, or even bake them directly on a lined tray.

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