Sweet and Sour Prawns in Beer Batter

1/3 cup potato starch or cornflour (cornstarch), plus ½ cup extra

330ml (11 fl oz) bottle cold beer

vegetable oil, for deep-frying

600g (1.3 lb) green prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact

Thai Sweet & Sour Marinade or try my homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe.

spring onions (scallions), sliced, to serve

sea salt

• Whisk together the flour, potato starch and a large pinch of salt. Make a well in the middle, then gradually whisk in enough beer to form a smooth batter (feel free to drink the remaining beer!).
• Fill a wok or saucepan to about one-third capacity with oil. Heat over high heat. The oil is hot enough when a wooden spoon dipped into the oil forms little bubbles (this should be around 165°C or 330°F).
• Place the extra potato or cornflour on a plate. Working in batches, add the prawns and dust lightly to coat, shaking off any excess. Dip the prawns into the batter before gently placing into the hot oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until each prawn is golden, crisp and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack or paper towel. Sprinkle with salt.
• Transfer the prawns to a serving plate. Scatter over the spring onions and serve with the Thai Sweet & Sour for dipping.