Prawn Curry

This was another dish prepared along with the Brinjal Masala for lunch, the recipe being Amma's and the cook being me. Normally, I prefer prawns fried. However, we wanted something interesting to go with rice for lunch that everyone would like, and prawn curry seemed the best option. 

To make the Prawn Curry seen in the picture, you will need:

Prawns - deveined - 1/2 kg

Onion - finely chopped - 2 large

Tomatoes - finely chopped - 3 large

Ginger -  peeled and pounded - 2 tbsp 

Garlic - peeled and pounded - 1 tbsp 

Green chilly - 1 - sliced

For the marinade:

Salt - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Red chilly powder - 1 tsp

For the paste:

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup

Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Roasted coriander powder - 1 tsp

Jeera/ Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 whole lemon (optional)

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method:

• Marinade the prawns in salt, turmeric, red chilly powder and keep aside for 15-20 min
• In a pan, heat a tbsp of oil, saute 3/4 of the onions with ginger, garlic, green chilly
• Add the tomatoes after the onions are done and cook
• Meanwhile, boil the prawns with one cup of water, and cook covered over medium heat
• Grind the grated coconut, red chilly powder, cumin seeds, roasted coriander powder, to a smooth paste
  
• Add the paste to the cooked prawns, mix well, and cook on medium heat for another 5 minutes
  
• In a tadka pan, heat the oil and add the remaining 1/4 of the chopped onions and lightly stir until light brown
• Add the onions to the dish, then add the lemon juice and mix well

Note: You may increase the red chilly powder quantity if you like the curry to be spicy. But if you have children who are gonna eat the dish and have a share of the prawns in the curry like A did, I suggest you keep the spice level low. Also, I mentioned that the lemon juice is optional because the tomatoes will add a tanginess to the curry. If you prefer more tanginess, the juice extract of a lemon-sized ball of tamarind can be used as a substitute for lemon, however, it should be added along with the paste and cooked.

Serve with hot rice/ chapathi