Serves 4 as a main dish
The Parsees brought their signature sweet and sour dishes to India when they moved from Persia (Iraq) to escape persecution in the 7th century. Their best known dish is Dhansak and most people plump for chicken but this dish shows just how perfect prawns are when combined with the sweet (jaggery) and sour (tamarind) tastes. Cook the prawns with the shells on to absorb all the beautiful flavours.
What you need…
• 200ml water (or more as required)
• 800g prawns, deveined by with shells left on
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• 1.5 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 chilli, chopped
• 1 Tablepoon yoghurt
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon tomato ketchup
• 1 Tablespoon jaggery (or brown sugar)
• 1 Tablespoon tamarind paste
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
Spice Mix 1
• 0.5 mustard seeds
• 0.5 fenugreek seeds
• 0.5 cumin seeds
Spice Mix 2
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon corianader
• 0.5 teaspoon turmeric powder
How you make it…
1. Add the prawns to a pan, cover with water (about 250ml but use more if needed) and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes then put to one side.
2. Heat the oil to a high heat. Add the Spice Mix 1 and fry for 15 seconds. The seeds should sizzle immediately. You can test this by adding a cumin seed.
3. Reduce the heat, add the onions and cook until they are soft (about 5 minutes).
4. Add the ginger paste, garlic paste, chilli and yoghurt and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomato, the tomato ketchup, jaggery, tamarind, Spice Mix 2 and half the stock from the prawns, mix well and cook until it forms a thick sauce (about 7–10 minutes).
6. Add the prawns and salt and heat through until the prawns are cooked through.
7. Sprinkle a few coriander leaves on top of the dish as garnish and serve.
This creates a curry with a thick sauce. If you like more sauce add more of the stock when you add the prawns.
If you like this you should try our…
What’s the obvious bread to order? … Sour. Doh!
Medium Chicken Curry • Chicken Madras • Chicken Vindaloo • Chicken Bhoona • Chicken Feet Curry (Africa)