“Life is a beach and prawns are forever! Fresh prawns are more than just seafood, they celebrate coastal flavours and are truly a taste of the sea.”

A good break from meat is either fish or prawns, though by popular vote, the tilt is in favour of prawns.

If you look at it, prawns is the more versatile of the two, can make a salad, a cocktail, a bake, a stir fry, can be used in pasta, even in a seafood soup and of course the eternal favourite- prawn biryani! The list is endless.

When I buy prawns I usually pick up 1 and 1/2 kg cleaned prawns, so I can divide it into two dishes. I cook prawns the same day I buy it. Marinating the prawns for some time adds to the flavour and keeps it tender during the whole process.

Another ingredient which plays an equally important role is roasted garlic. There can never be too much of it. I love garlic be it in a casserole, a herbed rice or just as a generous garnish.

As always. I try and share simple recipes just so that all of you could try them out and give a feedback. All the ingredients are available in your pantry.

Sharing this lovely recipe – quick, simple and garlicky!!!!

Ingredients:-

Marinade:-

• Prawns cleaned and deveined -1/2 kg
• Kashmiri chilli powder -21/2 tbsp
• Coriander powder -21/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder -1 tsp
• Pepper powder-2 tsp
• Garam masala -1 tbsp
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt
• Any vegetable oil-2 tbsp

For the masala:-

• Mustard oil-2-3 tbsp
• Mustard seeds-1 tsp
• Dry red chillies-3-4
• Slit green chillies 4-6
• Shallots -1 cup
• Onion sliced fine -2 big
• Curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Jaggery powder- a big pinch
• Garlic thinly sliced -1/2 – 3/4 cup

Method:-

• Marinate the cleaned prawns in the marinade thoroughly and keep it aside for 1 hour.
• In a pan, put in the marinated prawns and stir well.
• Cook covered for 3-4 minutes . Do not add water. Let the prawns cook in its own juices. Remove the prawns and keep aside.
• In the same pan, put in thinly sliced garlic cloves and roast till dark brown. Remove and keep aside.
• In the same pan, add a little mustard oil, heat and fry mustard seeds,then dry red chillies, slit green chillies, shallots and sliced onions. Stir well till the onions change colour. Fry well.
• Add a few curry leaves and see that it does not change colour.
• Add the cooked prawns and toss well.
• Taste for salt. Add salt if necessary.
• Cover for 2-3 minutes to bring the dish together.
• Balance the flavour with a good pinch of jaggery powder.
• Lastly add the roasted garlic cloves, a few more curry leaves and serve hot with ghee rice.

Chef’s tips:-

• Buy medium sized fresh prawns. For 1/2 kg of cleaned prawns you have to buy 1 kg.
• If you like the flavour of roasted garlic, you could increase the amount to 1 cup.
• The game changer here is, throughout the dish no water has been added. Be patient, and let the prawns cook in its own juices, stir in between.
• Finish the dish with mustard oil, the flavour and the nuttiness of the oil adds to the final taste of the dish.
• Keep tasting the prawns during the cooking process, a pinch of jaggery added at the end just elevates this dish.
• This can serve 4-6 adults.

Till my next post

Cheers,

Rose