Prawns in spicy tamarind sauce (Chemeen varattiyathu)

I try to stay healthy, but I do love fried prawns. This recipe hit the spot! Large prawns cooked in a tart, dry curry infused with tamarind and spiced with chillies and spices—this recipe pops with flavour. We enjoyed the dry curry with plain basmati rice; the combination was wonderful. ‘This recipe is from the Mapilla community on the northern coast of Kerala. This recipe is typical of the community, spicy and bursting with flavour. Here are some more recipes from this community:

Chicken in roasted coconut gravy (Khozi varatharacha curry) Malabar mutton curry This cookbook is the authority on cuisine from this community. I hope to cook from it often. I highly recommend it for those of us who love specialized regional cuisines made in an authentic style.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 lb large prawns

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fenugreek (methi) seeds

8 shallots, minced finely

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

2-4 green chillies, sliced in half or to taste

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

1 tablespoon chilli powder, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 large tomato, minced finely

10-12 curry leaves

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Salt to taste

In a wide pot, heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds and sauté until they pop. Add the shallots, garlic, and ginger and sauté on medium heat until the onions are caramelized to a light golden colour. Add the chillies and sauté for an additional minute.

Add the tamarind, tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric powder and curry leaves and cook till the tomatoes are completely broken down and for a wet sauce. Continue to cook until the oil comes out from the sauce, about 15-20 minutes in total. This step must be done on a medium flame, stirring the pot often to mix the ingredients so the flavours come together and mingle.

Add the prawns and sauté until they are cooked, 4-10 minutes, depending on their size. The prawns should be just cooked through and not get rubbery. Serve immediately with rice or Malabar parathas.