The last of the recipes we had as part of our Thali. Goes very well with plain steamed rice, fresh kachumber, papads and pickle.
Ingredients:
* 1/2 kg prawns. Shelled leaving tails on and deveined. (Reserve heads and shells for stock).
* 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
* 1 onion (finely chopped)
* 1 tomato (finely chopped)
* salt to taste
* 3 tbsp oil
* 2 fresh green chilies (slit)
* 8-10 fresh curry leaves
Masala Ingredients (to grind):
* 10 dried red chillies
* 2 tsp coriander seeds
* 1 tsp cumin seeds
* 10 peppercorns
* 1/4 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds
* 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
* tamarind (little bigger than marble)
* 6 garlic cloves
* 1 inch ginger
* 1 cup grated coconut
Method:
Add 3-4 cups of water to the prawn heads and shells with a pinch of turmeric. Bring to a boil then turn it down to simmer and let it simmer for at least an hour. Remove the scum that may form at the top. Strain and keep the prawns stock aside. If you have excess stock, store it in the freezer and use it for soups, prawn pulao and other preparations of prawns.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a small pan and gently roast the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and dried chillies. Once they have darkened a little and are aromatic, put into a spice grinder and grind to a fine Paste with the coconut, ginger, garlic, turmeric powder and tamarind.
Heat oil in a pot, when it is hot add the mustard seeds and splutter. Then add chopped onion and curry leaves and fry till onion turns golden brown, then add chopped tomatoes and slit chillies and stir, add salt. Cook till the tomatoes begin to break down.
Next add the ground masala and cook till the oil seperates, stir often. Add about a of cup water (or prawn stock) or to required consistency and bring the gravy to boil. Reduce the flame and simmer the masala for 10-15 minutes till the colour deepens slightly.
Add the prawns and stir. Cook for a few minutes till prawns turn pink and are cooked. Take care to not over cook the prawns.
I usually make a big portion of the gravy and freeze in smaller portions. When we want to eat this curry, I just defrost a portion. Heat and then add prawns and cook till prawns are cooked.
