Sri Lankan Prawn Curry
Description:
Sri Lankan Prawn Curry is a flavorful and aromatic dish made with prawns and thick coconut milk. This easy and quick recipe will fill your kitchen with a delightful fragrance and is sure to impress seafood lovers. With simple ingredients and minimal prep time, it’s a perfect choice for a satisfying lunch.
Cuisine: Sri Lankan
Course: Lunch
Diet: Non-Vegetarian
Ingredients:
- Prawns: 500 grams (cleaned and deveined)
- For the Spice Mixture:
- Fresh coconut, grated: 3 tablespoons
- Coriander (Dhania) Seeds: 2 tablespoons
- Fennel seeds (Saunf): 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper powder: 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder (Jeera): 1 teaspoon
- Curry powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder (Haldi): 1/2 teaspoon
- Red Chilli flakes (ground): 1 teaspoon
- Other Ingredients:
- Onion, finely chopped: 1
- Garlic, minced: 3 cloves
- Ginger, minced: 1 inch
- Coconut milk (thick): 50 ml
- Lemon juice: 1 teaspoon
- Salt, to taste
- Oil: 3 tablespoons
- Curry leaves, for garnish: 6 leaves
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Instructions:
- Clean and devein the prawns by removing the head, tail, and shell. To devein, make a slit along the spine and pull out the black vein.
- In a bowl, marinate the prawns with lemon juice and a pinch of salt while preparing the spice mixture.
- To prepare the coconut spice mixture, heat a frying pan and add grated fresh coconut (or desiccated coconut), fennel seeds, and coriander seeds. Dry roast over low heat for about 1 minute until the coconut turns golden brown and emits a sweet coconut aroma. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Once cooled, grind the coconut mixture with black pepper powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, curry powder, red chili flakes, and 2 tablespoons of water to form a coarse paste. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until golden brown. Add minced ginger and garlic, cooking for 1 minute.
- Add the ground coconut spice mixture to the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Add 50 ml of water and let it reduce completely to remove any raw smell from the spices.
- Add salt to taste, keeping in mind that the prawns were already marinated with salt. Stir constantly to prevent the spices from burning. Cook on low flame.
- Once the spice mixture thickens, add the marinated prawns and cook for 3 minutes.
- Add thick coconut milk, stir well, and cook on low heat until the curry thickens slightly and the oil starts to float on top.
- Garnish with curry leaves, stir to combine, and remove from heat.
Serving Suggestions:
Serve this Sri Lankan Prawn Curry with steamed rice for a complete meal. You can also serve it with a side of Kachumber Salad to enhance the flavors.
Enjoy this delightful and aromatic curry for a perfect lunch!
