A yummy prawns curry using coconut milk and kokum or kudampuli , a souring agent also known as the Malabar tamarind. It can be served with rice, idlis, pathiri or dosas too….
Ingredients:
Prawns deshelled and deveined – 1/2 kg
Drumsticks -2
Small onions (shallots) – 3 for crushing
Big onion – 1 medium size
Tomatoes – 2
Garlic – 6- 8 pods crushed
Ginger – 1 inch piece crushed
Kashmiri chilly powder – 2 tsp
Chillie powder – 1 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder – 2 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 stalk
Kodampuli (tamarind)/Kokum – 2 pieces
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Coconut oil – 1tbsp + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Tamarind – 1 marble sized ball
Coconut – 3 tbsp or coconut milk powder – 2 tbsp
Seasoning:
Mustard – 1 tsp
Cummin seeds – 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds – 4 or 5
Chopped small onion – 2 minced
Curry leaves – 5 or 6 leaves
Preparation:
Wash kudampuli once. Then soak kudampuli tamarind ball in water for 10 minutes. You can use normal tamarind in case you do not have kudampuli.
Extract milk from coconut or if using coconut milk powder, skip this step.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add onions and saute. Then add crushed garlic , crushed ginger and shallots. When it well sauteed, add 1 stalk of curry leaves and finely chopped tomatoes and fry well till it is pulpy. Then add chopped drumsticks followed by kashmiri chillie powder, plain chillie powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder. Saute until the raw smell goes off. Then add 1 glass of water alongwith the kodampuli and the water in which it is soaked. Cover and cook the drumsticks. When it is cooked, add the prawns and cook for another 4 -5 minutes on slow heat. Prawns should not be cooked too long as it becomes rubbery and hard. After prawns are cooked, add thick coconut milk taken from 4 tbsp coconut. I add Maggi coconut milk powder (2 tbsp of powder mixed in little warm water). Boil for 2 minutes and remove from fire.
Seasoning
Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. When it is hot, add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add fenugreek seeds, cummin seeds, 2 shallots minced and curry leaves. Let the shallots brown. Pour this over the curry and add 1 tsp of coconut oil on top of the curry and close the vessel. Mix well before serving.
Meal Haven 