Cod and haddock
Cod and haddock have a mild flavour and firm flakes. They suit the tandoori masala coating, but lean fillets can dry out if you leave them in the heat for too long.
Ever East cooking guide
Fish Marinade for Air Fryer, Pan Fry or Oven Cooking
Cook tandoori fish or king prawns with bold, home-style flavour and little preparation. Our Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade goes straight onto dry fish, so you can skip measuring spices and mixing a wet marinade.
Leave the coated fish to marinate for 45 to 60 minutes, then use your air fryer, frying pan or oven. The marinade suits cod, haddock, salmon, sea bass, tilapia, basa and other white fish fillets.
No egg, yoghurt, oil, or lemon needed.
Bold flavour, simple preparation
Why Use Our Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade?
We make dry marinades for busy home cooks who want big flavour without a long ingredient list. You can apply our fish marinade to a dry fillet or dampen the surface with a little water to help the coating cling.
You do not need to wash or soak the fish. Pat the surface dry, add the marinade and coat all exposed surfaces. If the fish feels too dry for the masala to hold, add a few drops of water with clean fingers.
Leave the coated fish in the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes before cooking. Keep raw seafood away from cooked food and wash your hands, utensils and work surface after preparation.
Choose your seafood
Best Fish and Seafood to Use
Choose fresh or thawed fish with an even thickness where possible. A fillet with a thick centre and thin tail may cook at different rates, so tuck the narrow end under itself or check it before the thicker section.
Salmon
Salmon has more natural fat than most white fish. Use fillets of a similar size and place the skin side down if the skin remains attached.
Sea bass
Sea bass fillets cook fast because they tend to have a slim profile. Handle them with a fish slice and limit turning to protect the fillet.
Tilapia and basa
Tilapia and basa offer a mild base for the masala. Check slim fillets before thick cod, haddock or salmon portions.
Other white fish fillets
Pollock, coley and other firm white fish can work with the same preparation method. Follow the fish producer’s cooking instructions and adjust for fillet thickness.
King prawns
Use raw, peeled king prawns with the vein removed. Prawns need less cooking time than fish fillets, so check them from the start and remove them once the flesh turns opaque.
Key timings and methods
Recipe at a Glance
- Marinating time: 45 to 60 minutes
- Air-fryer temperature: No higher than 160°C
- Main ingredient: Fish fillets or raw king prawns
- Suitable methods: Air fryer, frying pan or oven
- Serving yield: Base this on your fish quantity and the directions on the marinade pack
- Nutrition: Check the fish and marinade labels, then calculate values from the amount you use
Ingredients and Equipment
Ingredients
- Cod, haddock, salmon, sea bass, tilapia, basa, another white fish fillet, or raw king prawns
- Ever East Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade, using the quantity stated on the pack
- A small amount of water, if you want to dampen the seafood before coating
No egg, yoghurt, oil, or lemon needed.
Equipment
For the air-fryer method
- Air fryer
- Tongs or a fish slice
- Perforated parchment, if your air-fryer maker permits it
For the pan method
- Non-stick frying pan
- Wide fish slice
For the oven method
- Baking tray
- Baking parchment or a reusable liner that your oven maker permits
Air-fryer method
How to Air Fry Fish with Marinade
Air frying suits firm fillets and king prawns because the moving heat cooks the surface without a pan full of oil.
- Prepare the fish. Pat the fish or prawns dry with kitchen paper. Remove any pin bones from fillets.
- Add water if you wish. Dampen the surface with a small amount of water if you want more grip for the coating. You can skip this step and apply the marinade to dry fish.
- Coat the seafood. Add the amount of Ever East Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade stated on the pack. Press it across the top, sides and underside.
- Marinate in the fridge. Put the coated seafood in a covered container and leave it for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Prepare the air fryer. Preheat the appliance if its manufacturer instructs you to do so. Keep the temperature at 160°C or below.
- Arrange one layer. Leave space between each fillet or prawn. Put skin-on fish skin side down.
- Cook and check. Use the timing guidance from your fish producer and air-fryer maker. Thin fillets and king prawns need less time than thick cod or salmon portions.
- Test the centre. Cut into the thickest section. White fish should look opaque and flake under a fork. Salmon should reach the doneness level recommended by the fish producer. King prawns should look opaque through the centre.
- Serve without delay. Lift delicate fillets with a wide fish slice instead of gripping them with tongs.
Air-fryer models move heat at different rates, so one fixed cooking time cannot suit each appliance and fillet size. Check slim pieces before thick portions and avoid extending the cooking time once the centre has cooked through.
Browse our air fryer marinades for more ways to cook bold meals with less preparation.
Stovetop cooking
Pan-Fry Method
A non-stick pan gives you control over delicate fish and lets you watch the coating as it cooks.
- Coat the seafood and marinate it in the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Place a non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
- Add the fillet skin side down if it has skin. Lay skinless fish into the pan with the presentation side down.
- Leave the first side in place until the fish releases from the pan with little resistance.
- Slide a wide fish slice under the whole fillet and turn it once.
- Reduce the heat if the masala darkens before the centre cooks.
- Check the thickest section before serving.
Use the same method for king prawns, but move them through the pan so each side contacts the hot surface. Remove each prawn once the centre turns opaque.
A thin sea bass, tilapia or basa fillet needs less pan time than a thick piece of cod, haddock or salmon. Heat and thickness affect the result more than fish weight alone.
Family-sized cooking
Oven Method
Oven cooking suits larger portions and family meals because you can arrange several pieces across one tray.
- Coat the fish or king prawns, then marinate them in the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes.
- Heat the oven according to the fish producer’s instructions.
- Line a baking tray with parchment or a reusable oven liner.
- Arrange the seafood in one layer with space between each piece.
- Place skin-on fillets skin side down.
- Cook according to the guidance for your chosen fish, checking thin sections before thick portions.
- Test the centre before removing the tray. Fish should look opaque and flake under a fork. King prawns should have opaque flesh through the centre.
For more help choosing between appliances, read our guide to oven air fryer or BBQ marinated meat.
Protect the coating and texture
Stop Fish Sticking or Drying Out
Prepare the basket or tray
Use perforated parchment only if your air-fryer maker permits it. Food must weigh the parchment down so the fan cannot lift it towards the heating element. Keep holes open to maintain airflow.
A clean non-stick pan or lined oven tray also helps protect the coating.
Leave space around each piece
Crowding traps steam and prevents the hot air from reaching the fish. Cook in batches if your basket cannot hold each piece in one layer.
Limit turning
Firm fish may tolerate one turn. Sea bass, basa and other delicate fillets can split if you handle them before the surface sets. Cook skin-on fish with the skin side down and lift it with a broad fish slice.
Match the cooking time to thickness
Check thin tails, slim fillets and king prawns before thick portions. Tuck a narrow tail under the fillet if you want a more even shape.
Remove lean fish once it flakes
Cod, haddock and other lean white fish lose moisture if you keep cooking after the centre turns opaque. Check the thickest point and remove the fish once it has cooked through.
Easy meal pairings
Serving Ideas for Tandoori Fish
Pair your fish or king prawns with low-prep sides that let the masala flavour lead
- Basmati rice with cucumber salad
- Warm flatbread with shredded lettuce
- Microwave rice with steamed vegetables
- Jacket potato with a spoonful of yoghurt
- Bagged salad with cucumber and tomato
- Chips with a mild mint yoghurt dip
For a fast family dinner, add rice and frozen vegetables while the fish marinates. You can find more ideas in our guide to quick delicious weeknight meals.
Safe preparation and storage
Make-Ahead and Leftover Guidance
You can coat the raw fish in advance and keep it in a covered container in the fridge during the 45 to 60-minute marinating period. Check the seafood use-by date and follow the fish producer’s storage instructions.
Keep raw seafood away from ready-to-eat food. Use separate utensils and plates for raw and cooked fish.
After your meal, transfer leftovers to a clean, covered container and refrigerate them without delay. Follow current Food Standards Agency guidance for chilling and reheating seafood. Heat leftovers until steaming hot through the centre, and do not reheat them more than once.
Practical cooking answers
Fish Marinade FAQs
Can I use salmon with this marinade?
Yes. Coat salmon fillets with our Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade and leave them in the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes. Air fry at no more than 160°C, pan fry over controlled heat or follow the salmon producer’s oven instructions.
Can I use the marinade for king prawns?
Yes. Raw king prawns take the coating well and cook faster than thick fish fillets. Remove the shell if you prefer, take out the vein and pat the prawns dry before coating them.
Do I need oil, yoghurt, egg or lemon?
No egg, yoghurt, oil, or lemon needed. Apply the dry marinade to the seafood and press the coating onto the surface.
Can I apply the marinade to dry fish?
Yes. Pat the fish dry and add the marinade without another ingredient. The masala can go straight onto the surface.
Should I wet the fish first?
Water remains optional. Dampen the fish with a small amount of water if you want to help the coating cling. Do not soak it, as excess water can loosen the coating and add steam during cooking.
Can I use a pan or oven instead of an air fryer?
Yes. Use a non-stick frying pan over medium heat or follow the fish producer’s oven instructions. Keep handling to a minimum if you cook sea bass, basa or another delicate fillet.
Can I turn up the air fryer to cook the fish faster?
Keep the air fryer at 160°C or below. Higher heat may darken the masala before a thick fillet cooks through.
Signs that fish has cooked through
Check the thickest part. White fish should look opaque and separate into flakes under a fork. King prawns should have opaque flesh through the centre. Follow the seafood producer’s safety instructions if they differ.
Can I prepare the fish ahead?
You can coat it and refrigerate it for the 45 to 60-minute marinating period. Keep it covered and within the seafood use-by date. Do not leave raw fish at room temperature.
Can I marinate frozen fish?
Thaw the fish according to the producer’s instructions before adding the marinade. Pat away excess moisture after thawing so the coating can hold.
Big home-cooked flavour, less preparation
Try Ever East Tandoori Masala for Fish Marinade
Bring home-style tandoori flavour to cod, haddock, salmon, sea bass, tilapia, basa, white fish fillets and king prawns. Apply our dry marinade to the seafood, leave it in the fridge for 45 to 60 minutes and choose your preferred cooking method.
No egg, yoghurt, oil, or lemon needed.
