Coat your chosen fish or king prawns with our Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade, leave them in the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes, then cook them in an air fryer, frying pan or oven.
You can apply the marinade to dry fish or wet the surface with a small amount of water to help the coating cling. No egg, yoghurt, oil, or lemon needed.
Our ready-made dry marinade gives cod, haddock, salmon, sea bass and other seafood a bold, home-style tandoori flavour without a cupboard full of spices.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Marination time: 45 to 60 minutes
Cooking time: 6 to 16 minutes, depending on your seafood and cooking method
You do not need oil to prepare the marinade. A small amount in the frying pan can stop lean fish from sticking.
Choose firm fillets that can hold their shape as you coat and cook them.
Cod and haddock have a mild flavour that works well with tandoori masala. Their lean flesh can dry out, so check them at the lower end of the cooking range.
Salmon stays moist during air frying and oven cooking. Use skinless fillets for an even coating or leave the skin on if you want a firmer base in the pan.
Sea bass fillets cook fast. Pan frying suits thin fillets, while the air fryer gives the edges a firmer finish.
Tilapia and basa offer an accessible choice for family meals. These fillets can vary in thickness, so check the centre rather than relying on the clock.
Use raw, peeled king prawns and remove the vein before coating. Prawns need less cooking time than fish fillets.
Thick fillets take longer than thin pieces. If you cook several pieces together, choose pieces of a similar size so they finish at the same time.
The air fryer suits fast weeknight meals and keeps washing-up under control. A single layer helps hot air reach each piece.
Air-fryer models vary in basket size and heat flow. Start checking before the end of the stated range. The fish should look opaque through the centre and separate into moist flakes under a fork.
Do not stack the pieces. Cook a second batch if the basket feels crowded.
A heavy non-stick frying pan or seasoned cast-iron pan gives fish a browned surface without an oven.
Avoid high heat. Tandoori spices can catch on the pan before a thick fillet cooks through. Reduce the heat if the coating darkens too fast.
Cook raw king prawns over a medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove them once the flesh turns opaque through the centre and feels firm. The coloured marinade can hide some visual changes, so cut into one large prawn if you need to check it.
The oven works well when you need to cook four portions together. It also reduces handling, which helps delicate fish keep its shape.
You do not need to turn delicate fillets. Turn thick, firm pieces after half the cooking time if you want colour on both sides.
Lean white fish can dry out within a few extra minutes. Check cod, haddock, tilapia and basa at the lower end of the range.
| Method | Approximate cooking time | Finish | Best for | Washing-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air fryer at 160°C | 6 to 14 minutes | Firm edges and a moist centre | Small portions and fish tikka | Low |
| Frying pan | 4 to 10 minutes | Browned surface | Thin fillets and king prawns | Low |
| Oven | 8 to 16 minutes | Even cooking across several portions | Family meals and thick fillets | One lined tray |
Your fish variety, portion thickness and appliance can change these timings. Use the clock as a guide and check the centre before serving.
For more help with dry coatings and marination, read our guide to using dry marinades for maximum flavour.
The marinade gives the surface a strong colour, so do not judge doneness from the coating.
A clean food thermometer gives you a more dependable check for thick portions. Insert it into the centre of the thickest piece without touching the tray or pan. The UK Food Standards Agency lists a core temperature of 70°C for two minutes as one safe cooking combination. Follow current Food Standards Agency guidance and your thermometer manufacturer’s instructions.
Cook raw king prawns until the flesh turns opaque throughout and the centre feels hot. Check one of the largest prawns, since smaller prawns may finish first.
Even portions cook at a similar pace. Small fish tikka pieces can dry out while a thick piece finishes.
Pat wet fish dry before applying the marinade. If you want more grip, use a light wetting of water rather than soaking the fish.
Give the fish 45 to 60 minutes in the fridge. You do not need to leave it overnight.
Space helps heat reach the sides of the fish. Crowding can make the coating damp and extend the cooking time.
Cod, haddock and other lean white fish lose moisture faster than salmon. Check them at the start of the stated timing range.
Turn your tandoori fish into a family dinner with one warm side and a fresh accompaniment.
The yoghurt dip and lemon wedges serve as optional accompaniments. You do not need either ingredient in the marinade.
For a fast weeknight meal, serve air-fried fish with microwave rice and cucumber salad. Add pan-fried king prawns to flatbreads with lettuce and yoghurt sauce, or pair oven-cooked salmon with rice and roasted vegetables.
Yes. Defrost the fish in the fridge, drain away excess liquid and pat the surface dry before coating it. Avoid cooking thick fillets from frozen because the outside may dry out before the centre reaches a safe temperature.
Yes. Our Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade suits raw king prawns as well as fish. Coat them, marinate them in the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes, then air fry, pan fry or oven-cook them.
Find a full serving idea in our king prawn marinade recipe.
No. Marinate the coated fish or king prawns for 45 to 60 minutes in the fridge. Seafood has delicate flesh, and a long overnight wait offers no benefit for this recipe.
Yes. Wet the surface with a small amount of water before adding the dry marinade. You can also apply the marinade to dry fish. Water remains optional.
No egg, yoghurt, oil, or lemon needed. Apply our dry marinade to the fish and give it 45 to 60 minutes in the fridge.
You may need a little cooking oil to stop fish sticking to a frying pan. That oil supports the cooking method rather than the marinade.
Yes. Cut firm fish into chunks of a similar size, coat each piece and marinate them for 45 to 60 minutes. Air fry at no more than 160°C or cook the pieces in the oven. Check them before whole fillets because small pieces cook faster.
The fish variety and thickness have the greatest effect. Salmon handles all three methods well. Pan frying suits thin fillets because you can remove them as soon as the centre turns opaque. Air frying works well for fish tikka, while the oven gives you control across a larger batch.
Let the fish cool, then place it in a covered container and refrigerate it within two hours. Follow Food Standards Agency guidance by eating refrigerated leftovers within 48 hours or freezing them.
Yes. Reheat it once and make sure the centre becomes steaming hot. Use an oven or air fryer at a moderate temperature and remove the fish as soon as it heats through. A covered pan over a low heat can help lean fish retain moisture.
You can also serve cold cooked fish in a salad if you chilled and stored it within food-safety guidance.
Our Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade goes straight onto cod, haddock, salmon, sea bass, tilapia, basa, white fish fillets or king prawns. Apply it to dry seafood or use a light wetting of water to help the coating cling.
Leave it for 45 to 60 minutes, then choose your air fryer, pan or oven. No egg, yoghurt, oil, or lemon needed.
Bring home-style tandoori flavour to busy family dinners without measuring several spices or mixing a traditional wet marinade.
Try our Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade and get dinner underway.
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