Prawns in a Tangy Coconut Curry

You know, there are days when you just don’t want to cook, no matter how much you love food and being in the kitchen. Last week, I had one of those days. I really really wanted to eat seafood, didn’t want to dine out and didn’t want to cook either. So, I had to come to a compromise with myself. I went with what I love more – cooking – and experimented with prawns. And believe me, this was my first time cooking with fresh prawns! I was craving something very south Indian so I used the classic flavours – curry leaves, coconut, tamarind.

Making this Tangy Prawn and Coconut Curry isn’t very difficult especially if you have all the ingredients at hand. And deveining prawns is no rocket science and I say this since this was the first time I deveined prawns on my own!

So the recipe is simple, a basic tempering, some tamarind pulp, prawns, coconut cream and spices.

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Prawns in a Tangy Coconut Curry

A warm comforting coconut-seafood curry...

Course

main course

Cuisine

south indian

Prep Time

20 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 250 gms prawns (that is about 10-12) deveined and without the shell
• 200 ml coconut cream
• tamarind the size of a small lime
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• A handful curry leaves
• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 medium tomato
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/4 tsp chopped ginger
• 2 green chillies chopped
• 1/2 tsp haldi
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 9 - 10 peppercorns
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
• A handful coriander leaves
• o taste salt to taste

Course main course Cuisine south indian Prep Time 20 minutes Cook Time 10 minutes Servings people Ingredients 250 gms prawns (that is about 10-12) deveined and without the shell 200 ml coconut cream tamarind the size of a small lime 1/2 cup water 1/2 tsp mustard seeds A handful curry leaves 1 medium onion 1/2 medium tomato 4 cloves garlic 1/4 tsp chopped ginger 2 green chillies chopped 1/2 tsp haldi 1/2 tsp chilli powder 9 - 10 peppercorns 1/4 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp coriander seeds A handful coriander leaves o taste salt to taste

Instructions

1. Marinade the prawns in 1/4 tsp haldi and set aside.
2. Boil the tamarind in the water till disintegrated.
3. Dry roast the peppercorn, coriander and cumin seeds and coarsely grind in a mortar and pestle.
4. Heat the oil in a wok and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to splutter and put in the curry leaves.
5. Now add the onion, garlic, ginger and green chillies. Saute well on a medium flame.
6. Now add the remaining haldi, chilli powder, and ground masala. Saute well and then add the chopped tomatoes. Stir continuously.
7. Once it all becomes a homogeneous mix and starts sticking to the bottom add a tablespoons of tamarind water at a time to encourage the gravy to cook and go soft. Stop after about 6-7 tbsps.
8. Now add the coconut milk and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Add the prawns and salt to taste and leave the gas on medium for around a minute and switch off.
10. The prawns will cook in the hot coconut gravy. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

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