Prawn Masala with a twist

This prawn masala/ curry is super simple to make and you will love the amazing Indian flavour.  Prawns are cooked in a spicy and fragrant masala made with onions, tomatoes, Indian spices and herbs.  It goes well with plain steamed rice, cumin rice or any flatbread like naan.

Prawn Masala is a quick and easy recipe that is delicious, aromatic and spicy.

My recipe is easy enough for beginners and customizable to your palate, with the help of expert tips section below.

Prawn Marinade

• 500 g Prawns Shelled and Cleaned

• 2 tbsp Oil

• 4 cloves Garlic crushed

• 1 inch Ginger crushed

• 1 teaspoon Green Chilli Paste

• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

• 1 teaspoon Ground Coriander

• ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric

• ¾ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder

• 3 tablespoon Natural Yoghurt Plain

• dry chilli flakes (optional)

• 1/2 cup frozen peas

• 1 big carrot cut in sticks

• ½ Lemon Juice Only

• Salt and Pepper

Prawn Masala

• 2 tablespoon Oil or Ghee

• 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds

• 8 Curry Leaves

• 1 Onion Diced (Red or White)

• 200 g Plum Tomatoes Pureed

• 3 tablespoon Tomato Puree

• 60 ml Water

• 1 - 2 teaspoon Garam Masala or Madras Curry Powder

• 1 can coconut milk

Instructions

• Marinade the prawns for 5 minutes in all the ingredients listed under marinade.

• Add Oil to a pan. Then add Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves. Cook for 1 minute. Then add onion. You can use red or white. Cook till golden brown - 6 - 7 minutes.  

• Add Plum Tomato and Tomato Puree. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes on low.

• Add water and Garam Masala. Add prawns and cook for a further 3 - 5 minutes.

• Add the carrot and peas stir well and cook for further 5 minutes

• Add the coconut milk and stir through.

To Serve

• ½ Lemon Juice only

• Few Coriander Leaves

  
  

  

  
  

TIPS:

1. Your masala/ curry will taste the best with elevated flavours only if the inion tomato masala is sautéed well
2. Coconut is used to round out the Flavours and give thickness to the curry
3. For a really hot and spicy curry l, soak some dried red chilies and blend them with the sautéed ingredients
4. Using shell on Prawns and removing the shell before deveining them means you get the best flavour. For ease in this recipe, I buy shell off Prawns.
5. If using frozen Prawns, defrost them the same way. They will need around 30 minutes. Don't use hot water or a microwave to defrost, as they will become rubbery. 
6. If you need to reheat leftovers, you can add a splash of water to a pan and reheat them slowly until warmed through. I would not recommend freezing or microwaving cooked prawns. 
7. In this recipe Onions are sauteed for a while and then tomatoes are added.
8. The cooking out of these ingredients with spices is what gives the curry real depth of flavour. The base of the recipe is what makes it. So make sure you allow the onions to take on colour.
9. This recipe is quite similar to Masala Fish recipe. You can use fish instead if you prefer. 
10. The Prawns do not have to be marinaded for long. 5 minutes is enough. Or you can use them immediately.
11. A squeeze of Lemon Juice before serving helps to bring the flavours together.