Prawn Masala

Method

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1. Heat the coconut oil and pop the mustard seeds for 30 seconds.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

2. Add the curry leaves and let them crackle for 10 seconds.

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3. Add the onions and fry 8 minutes, until golden.

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4. Stir in the ginger and garlic paste and the chillies and cook 2 minutes.

   Mark done

5. Add the chilli powder, turmeric and coriander and cook 20 seconds.

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6. Add the tomatoes and salt and cook 6 minutes, until pulpy and the oil shows.

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7. Stir in the coconut and the water and simmer 3 minutes. Taste and correct the salt now.

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8. Add the prawns, stir once, and cook 3 minutes until they turn pink and curl.

   Mark done

9. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and scatter the coriander over.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Finish and taste the gravy before the prawns go in.
• Three minutes for the prawns, then off the heat.
• Coconut oil rather than vegetable — it is half the flavour.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Steamed rice
• Appam
• Kachumber

Storage & Reheating

Best fresh. Keeps 1 day refrigerated; do not reheat hard.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.